Where the Heart Is
by MadameHyena
Summary: Snape is the one to pick up Harry at the beginning of his first year. After seeing the abuse the boy who lived has endured he vows to do something about it. Rated M for later chapters. Yaoi fic. BoyXBoy
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own Nothing!

Harry woke up feeling overly cramped due to the extended time in his cupboard. His uncle had been furious the day before and had locked him in there. The incident at the zoo had been interesting to say the least. The experience of talking to a snake had been well worth the day and night of no food or bathroom breaks, and the look on Dudley's face when he fell into the snakes' cage, priceless. Harry supposed he got off easy since Vernon had just locked him up instead of hitting him a few times before hand.

After getting out of the bathroom Harry noticed the mail had arrived. Looking through it he was shocked to find one addressed to him. In all his life Harry had never received a letter. He racked his brain trying to think of who could had sent it to him. There was no return address so it was unclear to him how it was even sent. Harry handed the rest of the mail to his uncle and began to open the letter only to have it rudely ripped out of his hands by his fat pig of a cousin.

"A letter! Harry's got a letter," he shouted.

"Hey that's mine," Harry pleaded.

"Oh please," Vernon chuckled taking the letter from Dudley. "No one would be writing to you."

Harry watched as his uncles face fell flat at seeing the address. Aunt Petunia's eyes widened as she too saw the letter. Harry felt a dull feeling of foreboding as the couple looked up at him with a mixture of fear and disgust. This was not going to be good for him.

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Lucius Malfoy was busy doing paperwork in his study as his son read a book in a nearby chair when a small pop caught his attention. Doby approached them looking around nervously. He was probably worried Narcissa was with them. Fortunately the horrid woman was rarely around anymore. With any luck Lucius would soon catch her with another man and have a valid excuse to divorce her and kick her out of his house (since apparently hating your spouse isn't considered a valid reason in the pure blood society).

"What is it Doby," Lucius prodded.

"Mister Snape is here masters. He says that it's urgent," Doby explained.

"Send him in."

Draco looked up from his book at the mention of his godfather. It didn't take long for the man in question to come in with his usually stoic face tight with worry and his hair uncombed. Lucius frowned at his friends appearance.

"What has you so frazzled," he cooed.

The look on Severus' face told him that he wasn't in the mood. The man glared down at him, silently telling him that he would not put up with any jokes or innuendos.

"I need to talk to you," he finally growled. He sent a look over to Draco. "Alone."

Draco, being the smart boy he was, took the hint and walked out without a word.

"Okay. What troubles you my friend."

"Something's going on at Hogwarts and the ministry, and it stinks," Severus stated.

"Then open a window."

"I'm being serious! Listen yesterday I went to the school owelry to send out a letter when I noticed a house elf sending out Hogwarts letters," Severus began.

"But weren't those all sent out last week," Lucius asked looking confused. Severus nodded.

"Yes but sometimes when parents, particularly muggle parents, refuse to give the letters to future students we send more out till they end up drowning in them and have to accept them. So I didn't think much of it until I read the address."

Severus pulled out a letter and handed it to his friend. Lucius looked at it and felt his eyes widen. This was Harry Potters letter. Why would Potters' guardians refuse his school letters? He was even more shocked when he read the address.

"The cupboard under the stairs," he read. This couldn't be right.

"You can see why I grew suspicious. Those letters are designed to be sent to where the children sleep and according to that envelope there is something very wrong in that house."

Lucius nodded in agreement and finally looked up from the letter.

"Have you talked to Dumbledore or Magical Child Protective Services," he asked trying to keep calm. Severus shook his head.

"Potter was treated as a special case. Dumbledore handled pretty much everything and at this point I'd rather not discuss anything with him."

"Understood. Let me see what I can bring up. In the mean time I suggest go to Diagon Alley and pick up your own owl so you don't have to keep stealing one from your work."

XxxxHeeheexxxX

Hagrid passed back and forth. Dumbledore was going to be so disappointed with him. There was no way he could fix his motorcycle in time to pick up Harry from his relatives and help him get his supplies. He needed help and fast.

"Excuse me," came a smooth voice. Hagrid turned to see Professor Snape trying to move around him. He was probably making his way to use one of the school owls again.

"Professor," Hagrid called before the man could get away. "Do you have time? I need a favor."

Snape turned around and scowled but he seemed to be waiting to hear him out. Hagrid explained how Dumbledore asked him to take care of young Mister Potter and how he couldn't go because his motorcycle's engine was acting up. For some reason the professor seemed very eager to help him out. Hagrid couldn't help but feel touched when Snape said he would gladly help him out. Maybe Snape wasn't as mean as he seemed. Then again he and Hagrid had never really talked before.

"Here's where his family took him," Hagrid said handing Snape the paper with the address on it. Snapes eyes widened.

"Where they took him? What do you mean," he asked.

"I guess the muggles are having a hard time excepting that young Harry is a wizard so they're trying to hide. That's why we need to go there ourselves," Hagrid explained.

Without another word Snape took off for the gates. Not even bothering to say goodbye to the blundering half giant. Something was definitely wrong here and he was going to get to the bottom of it. How could none of this seem suspicious? For a family to go to such lengths to hide from the school. It wasn't like they didn't know anything about magic. Severus had met Lily's sister a few times and she seemed to know quite a bit about the magical world, even if she wasn't pleased about it.

Severus vaguely remembered the horse faced girl who his friend was so proud of. Lily would often talk about her sister who she had loved so dearly. He also remembered having to comfort her numerous times when Petunia would call her a freak in a jealous rage. Hopefully that jealousy hadn't extended to the child whom she was supposed to be caring for now. Severus took a second look at the address the groundskeeper had given him and apperated as soon as he passed Hogwarts' barriers.

XxxxHeeheexxxX

It took all of Harry's control not to sob in relief when he saw the Dursleys start settling down for the night. His whole body ached from the daily beatings he was receiving. It seemed that every time those letters came his uncle would fly into a rage. Harry thought he was going to be killed when hundreds of them had appeared at once and filled the entire house. It was a relief that they were now at a secluded place where there was no way they would be receiving mail of any kind.

Now Harry could get at least some sleep before Aunt Petunia would wake him up to make food again. They would probably make him clean the house too. The floor was covered in dirt and dust. Harry let out a sigh as he laid down on the cold floor with only a small pillow and a thin sheet to cover him. He supposed he should be grateful though. At least it was something. Harry shivered as he closed his eyes to sleep.

A knock at the door seemed to forbid him from sleeping. Harry sat up and stared at the door. Who could possibly be here? Perhaps someone got lost and needed directions? Harry got his uncles attention.

"What the bloody hell do you want boy," he raged from his and Aunt Petunia's bed.

"I think someone's at the door," Harry informed.

"Don't be silly boy. No one can find us here."

The knocking came again but louder this time. Uncle Vernon quickly got out of bed and grabbed his shot gun.

"Whoever's there better leave now," he warned. Aunt Petunia was cowering behind him and Dudley was hiding behind the couch where he had been sleeping. They all jumped when a deep, smooth voice answered them.

"The knocking is only a courtesy. I can come in whenever I want."

"You just try," Uncle Vernon spat.

Everyone was shocked as the door unlatched itself and a tall man walked in. He wore a long black robe with buttons down the front. His shoulder length, black hair was dripping wet from the rain and his black eyes seemed to study everything he saw. His hooked nose seemed to only add to his mysteriousness.

"Ah Petunia I wish to say it was nice to see you again but truth be told I never cared for you," the man drawled.

"Sweet heart, you know this freak," Uncle Vernon asked. Aunt Petunia gulped and nodded.

"He's Severus Snape…a wizard."

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AN: Thank you for reading! Please review! Constructive criticism is appreciated until it turns into a flame. Please no flames. I'll get burned and cry.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the Harry Potter series. That's all JK Rowling.**

**AN: To clear up any confusion, yes, this is a Snarry fic. I also would like to thank you all for reading this fic even though it had a terrible summery. Smiley face for you all! XD**

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Chapter 2

Severus looked around the dirty cabin where the muggles had taken the boy. It was disgusting. The place had obviously been abandoned for quite a long time. It was questionable whether or not it was safe to stay here without the roof caving in. _Better get this over with quickly,_ Severus thought to himself.

"Yes as Petunia has mentioned my name is Severus Snape but you all can just call me Snape, or in Potter's case Professor," he started making his way into the house. "Speaking of the boy where is he?"

"Um right here," came a quiet voice.

Severus looked over and was stunned by what he saw. His black hair messy and covered in dirt much like the rest of him. It was almost amazing how his green eyes seemed to shine through all of the filth. He seemed to be leaning against the coach as if he was hurt. Severus took a step closer and immediately noticed how thin the boy was. Had Petunia fed the boy even once since she had gotten him as a baby?

"Mom did you say wizard," another boy laughed. Severus turned to see a smaller version of the whale Petunia had apparently married. This boy was as fat as his father but otherwise seemed fine. Things were definitely as he had suspected.

"Wizards and magic aren't real," the fat boy chided his mother.

Severus sighed and took out his wand. He lazily flicked it at the hearth and within seconds there was a comfortable fire heating up the cabin. That seemed to shut the boy up. Potter looked astounded.

"I take it from your reaction you have not been told about magic," Severus asked trying to keep his voice calm. Potter shook his head.

"Petunia, how do you know this freak?"

Petunia looked to her husband.

"He used to hang out with my sister."

Potter moved to Severus' side faster than he had ever seen anyone move.

"You knew my mom," he asked. "Would you like to sit down?"

For the first time since his best friend had died Severus felt the urge to smile.

"Don't you dare invite him in boy," the whale raged.

Severus couldn't help but notice the way Potter hid behind him. He could see the fear in the child's eyes. He could feel the rage inside of him grow. There was not a doubt in his mind that he would find evidence of physical abuse.

"What are you even doing here," Petunia sniffed. She gave him a look of utter disgust. He gave her a glare and placed his hand on Potters' shoulder. The young man flinched but didn't pull away.

"I'm here to give Harry his letter of course," he explained.

"You're the one who's been sending those," Potter asked.

"Actually the school sends those. I'm just here because the letters were ignored," Severus explained searching his pockets for the letter. He couldn't find anything. Did that oaf forget to give him the blasted letter? Damn and he had left the other one with Lucius too. He let out a sigh.

"I guess I'll have to take you to the manor," he grumbled. Potter looked confused.

"You're not taking him anywhere," the whale roared holding his muggle weapon up in an attempt to intimidate him. His face was an ugly shade of purple. Severus just transfigured the thing into a long pillow.

"Why don't you just go to sleep before you get hurt," Severus suggested. "As for Potter it is his choice whether he will come with me or not but even if he doesn't he won't be staying with you much longer."

"What do you mean by that," Petunia sniffed. Severus allowed himself to smirk.

"Because either way I will be contacting the MCPS. It's clear to me that your nephew is in horrible shape thanks to your…care."

"MCPS," Potter questioned.

"Magical Child Protection Services," Severus explained. He ignored the gasp from Petunia.

XxxxHeeheexxxX

Harry wasn't sure if he had heard the man right.

"You mean I'm a magical child? That can't be right."

Mr. Snape gave him an incredulous look.

"Of course you are. Just like your mother and father were. I'm here to invite you to study at the school they went to when they were your age," he explained.

Harry thought about it. Strange things did seem to happen around him. Like when he was five and he had gotten made at his cousin for stealing his food and all the kitchen windows had shattered. Or like at the zoo when he was talking to the snake and the window had disappeared. Did all those things happen because of him? Because of magic?

Then another thought occurred to him. Mr. Snape was going to take him away. He had said that he wasn't going to be staying with his horrid uncle or aunt anymore. Sure, he was following a stranger but anywhere had to be better than this right?

"Is it true," he asked.

Mr. Snape looked at him.

"Is what true? You need to be more specific young man."

"If I go with you, I won't have to come here again," Harry said allowing himself to feel a little hope.

"I promise. I'll do everything in my power to make sure that these monsters won't come near you again," Mr. Snape vowed ignoring the enraged screeching of his relatives.

Harry felt a warm feeling well up inside him. For the first time in his life he felt like everything was going to be alright. He found himself clutching the man's sleeve.

"Okay. I'll go with you."

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Lucius was surprised when his friend had shown up at his house with a very small and dirty boy in tow. The child looked so scared and pathetic that he didn't even give his friend time to speak.

"What on earth happened to him? He looks like a third world orphan," he cried running up to the child to inspect him closer. The boy looked at him with wide eyes. Lucius couldn't help but notice how pure and innocent they looked. He put both of his hands on the boys shoulders and leaned down so he was eye level with the boy. "You must take your clothes off so that I may wash you."

Without any warning Lucius felt someone smack him on the side of the head. He put a hand to where he had felt the sting he looked up at his friend. Severus looked livid.

"This child has been through enough without you scarring him more with your idiotic pervertedness Malfoy," he hissed.

"I don't think pervertedness is a word and I'm hurt that you would suggest that I would do anything to dirty a child's purity. I merely meant that he should use one of my bathrooms get clean," Lucius defended before Severus hexed him. He had always been so sensitive when it came to children.

"That would be wonderful," the boy exclaimed. "But you don't have to trouble yourself, I can wash myself."

"Good and after your done we'll discuss your letter," Severus said once again composing himself. "Unless you'd rather go to bed. It is late."

"I don't think I could sleep after all this but if you're tired Mr. Snape we could wait until tomorrow," the boy said looking uncomfortable.

"Either way is fine. Doby," Severus called. Doby appeared with a crack startling the boy. Lucius could tell by his face that he had never seen a house elf before.

"What can Doby do for Master Snape," the little elf asked.

"I need you to take young mister Potter to a bathroom and help him run a bath. He probably won't know how to work it and afterwards please escort him back to us," Severus requested.

"Oh and give one of Draco's outfits to wear afterwards please," Lucius added. At the moment he was too confused with the boys' presence to be angry at Severus for ordering around one of his own house elves. He decided to wait until the boy was gone and they were in the sitting room to ask about it.

"You said the boys' name was Potter right," he started.

"Yes. He is Harry Potter and you can tell be his appearance that our suspicions were correct."

"Severus, you can't just go to a students' house and kidnap them. You should have just contacted MCPS," Lucius reasoned. Severus glared at him.

"I didn't just go there. I was on official Hogwarts business."

Severus explained the conversation he had with the groundskeeper Hagrid and then about his meeting with the Dursleys. Lucius was appalled when Severus told him how Potters relatives had talked about him.

"So why did you bring him here? Why not your house," he asked still a little confused.

"I need to give him the letter I gave to you. He'll need the list of supplies he needs to buy. I also need to talk to you about getting him out of that house," Severus explained.

"I think it's in my desk," Lucius mused standing up to look. He searched until he finally found it under all the papers documents he had received from the ministry that day. He couldn't help but sigh. He had been so busy today he hadn't had the chance to even speak to his son. He would have to make it up to him by taking him school shopping.

"Here it is," he said handing the letter to his friend. "But I must say I'm glad you brought him here. He can borrow some of Draco's clothes till he gets some of his own."

Severus nodded in agreement.

"How fast do you think you can get Potters custody transferred? I know Lily loved her sister but I honestly don't think she would have left her child with her. She knew how Petunia felt about magic."

"You think Dumbledore put Harry there despite what Lily's will said," Lucius asked incredulously. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know but I think we'll find out after we see it. Has anyone bothered to look at it," Severus asked. After the Potter's died it was known that Dumbledore seized control in order to take care of things quietly. Since the ministry was a mess capturing stray death eaters and cleaning up the mess You Know How left behind no one had questioned it or even looked into it.

"No but I'm sure I can find a copy. I'll also get ahold of MCPS and show them any evidence we have against the muggles. I'll need Harry's memories," Lucius explained. He was already forming a plan in his head.

"I'll talk to him. In the mean time you can show them my memories of when I picked him up," Severus stated calmly searching his robes for a vial to put the memories in. He finally pulled one out and used his wand to pull out a silvery strand of memories. Harry walked in and immediately noticed the vial full of memories.

"What's that," he asked shyly.

XxxxHeeheexxxX

Harry followed the small creature named Doby down a long extravagant hallway. Everything was scary and exciting at the same time. The pictures on the wall were actually moving! The people would watch him walk by and some would actually smile at him. One picture showed a man that looked vaguely like the houses owner. He was smiling and waving as if to get Harry's attention. Harry remembered how startled he had been when the man named Malfoy had asked him to strip but he supposed that was just his way of showing concern. Harry smiled at the thought. He wasn't used to people showing concern for him. Everyone seemed to ignore him. Even the teachers had never asked about the bruises Harry would have when he went to school.

Mr. Snape was the first person to show real concern. Harry hadn't recognized the foreign look the man had given him the first time he laid his eyes on him. But after the incident with Mr. Malfoy he finally understood. The man seemed to care about him. Harry secretly hoped he would be seeing more of the man in the future.

The small creature finally stopped at a door and opened it. Harry was confused when he saw a small pool with a large fountain in the center of it. Wasn't he supposed to go to a bathroom to wash up?

"Excuse me, Doby, this is a nice pool but I thought you were taking me to the bathroom."

"Oh yes sir. This is it," Doby aid pointing to the pool. He grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him inside. The door shut behind them. Before Harry knew it he was stripped and in the water. It was surprisingly warm and Doby had added a soap to the water that made it smell really good.

"Is everything how you like sir," Doby asked expectantly.

"Oh yes it's perfect. Thank you," Harry said smiling. He was startled when he looked over and the creature looked near tears. "I'm so sorry if I offended you," Harry apologized not knowing what it was he said.

"Doby's just so happy to be thanked by a wizard. Doby has never been thanked by someone he serves," Doby cried.

"Why not," Harry asked. Wasn't that polite?

"Doby's a house elf sir. No one ever thinks to thank the house elf," Doby explained. Then he looked down. "That was an awful thing to say."

"It's ok. I hope you don't mind me thanking you. I just think it's good manners when someone does something nice for you," Harry explained.

"Of course sir! And if you don't mind, Doby will leave Mr. Potter to his bath while Doby gets clothes for him," Doby announced. He waited until Harry nodded before he took off.

Harry sighed happily as his muscles relaxed in the warm water. He could stay here forever. But he thought of how Mr. Snape and Mr. Malfoy were waiting for him and hurried to wash his hair. He winced as he washed his arms and chest. They were covered with bruises. Harry hoped the two men wouldn't notice. Since he was little he had learned that it was bad if an adult noticed his bruises. Often his aunt would lie about how he got them and then his uncle would beat him later saying he was being ungrateful and trying to get them in trouble.

Harry grimaced at how dirty the water had become. He hadn't realized how much dirt had clung to him. No wonder Mr. Malfoy had wanted to wash him. He probably looked disgusting. Harry got out of the tub and grabbed a towel Doby had set out for him. Doby appeared and handed Harry some clothes. There was no underwear but Harry didn't want to complain. He put on the jeans and plain black t-shirt and followed Doby down a few hallways and they finally stopped at a door. Doby motioned for Harry to go inside. Harry walked in and saw Mr. Snape handing Mr. Malfor a small bottle with something silver floating inside. It looked beautiful.

"What is that," he asked shyly.

"These are just Severus' memories of when he picked you up from your dreadful relatives. This way others can see what he saw and it'll make it easier for a custody transfer," Mr. Malfoy explained.

"So where will I live," Harry asked. He had never been with anyone but his relatives before. He wondered what other homes were like. Would he be treated with the same coldness his aunt and uncle gave him? Or would he be smothered and given everything he wanted like his dreadful cousin? Harry couldn't hope there was something in between the two.

"We'll get into that later," Mr. Snape interrupted. "For now it's time to give you this."

Harry took the letter from the mans' hand. He would finally be able to read the forbidden letter. He opened it and neither man made a move to stop him. He read the words carefully. He couldn't believe it. He was being sent to a school full of kids like him. After he was done he looked up at the men. He wasn't sure what to say.

"So know you understand. You will be attending Hogwarts this year so you won't have to worry about where you'll be living until the end of term. By then we'll have everything sorted out," Mr. Snape explained coolly.

"Yup and I'm sure Severus will be keeping an eye on you throughout the year so if you have anything happens he will inform you," Mr. Malfoy added.

"Why will you be with me," Harry asked Mr. Snape. "It says it's a boarding school."

"As I'm sure I mentioned I am a Professor. I'll be teaching you potions," he explained.

"Oh, ok," Harry said feeling a little happy.

Mr. Malfoy startled everyone by suddenly clapping his hands together.

"Oh I know! Let's all go school shopping tomorrow. We can't go tonight because it's way past Harrys bedtime. You guys can sleep here tonight," he offered.

"Are you sure," Professor Snape asked.

"Of course, I have more than enough room. I'll get you guys to guest rooms right next to each other's so if little Harry has a nightmare he can go ask his big strong Professor to protect him," Lucius gushed. Harry felt his face grow hot and Professor Snape looked irritated.

XxxxHeeheexxxX

Harry sat in the middle of the giant bed. This room was huge and made him feel tiny. Professor Snape was quietly tucking him in for the night. He started to leave and before he could stop himself Harry grabbed the mans' sleeve.

"Yes," he asked. Harry suddenly felt very embarrassed and quickly let go.

"I'm sorry. Nevermind," he quickly excused.

"It's okay. What do you need," Professor Snape insisted.

"If you don't mind, could you stay with me until I fall asleep," Harry heard himself asked.

Professor Snape sat on the bed and nodded. Harry smiled and curled up. He could feel the Professor begin to softly rub his back. It was the first time Harry fell asleep feeling perfectly safe and warm.

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**AN: And that's the second chapter! I'd like to thank all of you who reviewed but because I'm greedy I'll be asking for others to review too. They are really appreciated. Heehee Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: You are reading a fanfic. Therefore you should have concluded that I do not actually own Harry Potter. But just in case here it is. I do not own Harry Potter. JK Rowling does.**

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Dumbledore was surprised when Hagrid walked into the great hall alone that morning and sit down at his normal spot. Surely he hadn't forgot about the important errand he had given him.

"Hello Hagrid. May I ask why you are here instead of helping young Harry shop for his supplies," he asked trying to sound calm. That bloody idiot was smiled at him.

"It was mighty unfortunate but my bike was acting up and can't fly at the moment. Luckily I was able to find someone to get him in my place. I was surprised how nice he was about it. Must of been havin a good day," the oaf mused.

Dumbledore felt his heart race. He knew he should have just gotten the boy himself. Only Hagrid was stupid enough to pick up the boy without suspecting anything. Dumbledore couldn't even think of anyone who would have been at the castle yesterday. Teachers hadn't started arriving till this morning.

"And who may I ask, did you send in your place."

"Professor Snape of course. Other than you or me he's the only one that enters the grounds during the summer," Hagrid explained.

Why in the world would that man come here during his vacation?! He clearly didn't want to be here even when he was working. No doubt the boy was now at his house while he contacted Lucius about the boys condition then it would only be a matter of time before the ministry was breathing down his neck. He was going to have to come up with a plan.

XxxxHeeheexxxX

Harry felt someone gently shaking his shoulder. He rubbed his eyes and stretched a little. He found it rather odd that his aunt was being so gentle with him instead of just screeching at him. Perhaps she felt bad because of all the extra beatings he had gotten. Either way he needed to get going before she grew impatient with him.

"I'm sorry, I'll make breakfast," he apologized sitting up.

"There's no need for that. The elves already made everything."

Harry jumped and looked over at the boy who had woken him up. He looked about his age and had blonde hair with ice blue eyes. He wore a royal blue sweater and black pants. It took Harry a second to remember everything that had happened the day before. The other boy waited patiently for Harry to get his bearings. Giving the boy a second look, Harry realized how much he looked like the mansions owner.

"I'm sorry, but are you a relative of Mr. Malfoys," he asked as politely as he could.

"Yes I'm his son. Draco Malfoy," the boy introduced holding out his hand.

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter," Harry answered taking his hand.

Harry looked down and realized he was still in his clothes he had borrowed yesterday.

"My father asked me to wake you up and show you to the small dining room. I brought you some clothes to change into," Draco said pointing to some folded up clothes on the end of the bed. "I'll be waiting just outside."

Harry jumped up and quickly put the clothes on. He quickly put on the black pants and dark green sweatshirt. There were even a pair of socks and shoes. Harry would have to remember to thank the Malfoy's for giving him an entire set of clothes to wear. With the Dursleys he was usually just given anything that would cover him. Harry met up with Draco who was waiting quietly just outside the door.

"My father told me that you weren't aware of your magical roots until yesterday," Draco started as they walked down the hall.

"Yeah. I guess my relatives kept a lot from me but I suppose I always knew I was different," Harry commented.

"Oh yeah. You're different all right. Even here in the magical world but uncle Severus is going to tell you about all that before we leave for Diagon Alley," Draco said as they began walking down the stairs.

"Professor Snape is your uncle," Harry asked interested. Draco shook his head.

"No but he and my dad go way back. They went to school together," Draco explained proudly. "Just like you and me this year."

"You're going to Hogwarts too?"

Draco nodded and grinned. He then started telling Harry all about the school that they would be living for the next few months. Harry listened in amazement as Draco told him about moving staircases, great feasts every night, and ghosts that flew around and interacted with students the same as a living person would.

Draco finally stopped at a door and opened it to reveal a dining room that was about the size of the entire ground floor of the Dursley's house. The walls were painted a dark blue and the windows had light blue curtains. The walls were decorated with paintings showing people eating together and having fun. Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy were sitting in the center of the room at a large, wooden table with all kinds of breakfast foods still warm. Harry heard his stomach rumble. Professor Snape looked up from his breakfast.

"Oh good your awake. Sit down and eat," Mr. Malfoy offered.

Harry nodded and sat down at the table between Professor Snape and Draco. Harry grabbed a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. He found himself staring down at it.

"Do you not like it," Mr. Malfoy asked sounding worried. Harry looked up at everyone.

"I just can't remember the last time I had a meal that I didn't cook myself," Harry lied. The truth was he just wasn't used to getting a full meal at all.

"You cook for yourself," Draco asked.

"Um… well.. I," Harry stammered. Everyone was looking at him now. He wanted to change the subject.

"You don't have to cover for them," Professor Snape said in a comfortingly. Harry felt his chest tighten. Professor Snape seemed to notice this because he placed a hand on his shoulder. "You also don't have to talk about it now."

Harry sighed in relief but he figured he needed to change the subject. He grabbed a fork and started eating. He was halfway through his eggs when he remembered something from the day before.

"Professor Snape," he asked getting the mans' attention. "Yesterday, Aunt Petunia said you were friends with my mom right?"

"Yes, we went to Hogwarts together but unfortunately I didn't get to see much of her or your father the year you were born," Professor Snape explained.

"Oh yes I remember you mom," Mr. Malfoy joined in. "She was a very talented witch. Especially with plants."

"Plants," Harry asked interested. Mr. Malfoy nodded.

"Oh yes. I remember in herbology how all the plants in the room seemed to look dance when she walked into the room. I'm sure if she had a chance your mother would have been the top herbologist in the country," Mr. Malfoy explained smiling. Professor Snape nodded in agreement.

"You mean if she and my dad hadn't died," Harry asked. Both adults grew serious and looked at each other in silent discussion.

"Yes. I was going to talk to you about that," Professor Snape started looking uncomfortable. "How did your aunt and uncle say your parents died?"

Harry looked at them confused.

"They died in a car crash because my dad was drunk. Didn't they?"

"No. Harry, this is difficult to explain. I suppose I should tell you the story. A few years ago a man lead a group of wizards and witches who all hated muggles and muggle born," Professor Snape began as if reading a story to a toddler.

"What are muggles," Harry asked.

"People without magic. Like your relatives. Now this group of dark wizard and witches were ruthless. They were killing all those who stood in their way."

Harry felt his insides turn. He could see where this story was going.

"My parents were one of those people, weren't they."

Professor Snape nodded.

"They were very brave but they found themselves in a position where they had to go into hiding in order to keep you safe but it wasn't long before You Know Who found them."

"I don't know," Harry interrupted. Everyone at the table gave him a confused look.

"Pardon," Professor Snape asked.

"You said I know who it was that found them but I'm afraid I don't," Harry explained. Draco burst out into giggles. Professor Snape just shook his head.

"Harry," Mr. Malfoy said getting his attention. "Many people don't use the name of the man who led this group so they either say You Know Who or He Who Must Not Be Named. You see, during this time, those who used his name were hunted down and killed."

Harry nodded but he still wanted to know the name.

"What is it," he asked. Professor Snape sighed and leaned close to him.

"His name was Lord Voldemort," he whispered. "But don't go around yelling it."

"Okay. So he killed my parents?"

"Yes. He used the killing curse on both of them but when he got to you, something happened. The curse somehow rebounded off you and hit him. He hasn't been seen since but some people believe he's still out there," Professor Snape finished. Harry couldn't believe it.

"That's how you got your scare Harry," Draco explained pointing to Harrys' forehead.

Harry unconsciously rubbed it. He had been told that he got it in the car crash that killed his parents. He had always wondered why his aunt would look so disgusted when she saw it. Perhaps she knew it was made by the man who had killed her sister. His mom.

"That's also why every witch and wizard knows your name," Mr. Malfoy said light heartedly. "You're the Boy Who Lived."

Harry looked up at him. He was famous? He guessed that made sense. He had survived the killing curse and as a result You Know Who disappeared.

"But know, if the Boy Who Lived is ready, we should get going," Professor Snape announced. Draco jumped out of his chair and practically dragged Harry with him.

"Where are we going," Harry asked.

"Don't you remember? We're going to Diagon Alley. We need to get our supplies for our first year," Draco gushed excitedly as he pulled Harry by the arm ahead of Mr. Malfoy and Professor Snape.

"You mean like school shopping? But I don't have any money," Harry realized.

The two boys stopped when they realized the adults weren't following them. They turned to see Mr. Malfoy looking at Professor Snape with an amused expression. Professor Snape on the other hand had a unreadable expression but Harry swore he saw his cheeks turn red.

"You don't have his vault key do you," Mr. Malfoy asked as Professor Snape rubbed his temples.

"It's fine. I'll pay," Professor Snape seemed to decide. Harry was about to object when Professor Snape gave him a look the told him to not even dare argue.

XxxxHeeheexxxX

The trip to Diagon Alley started out slow, mainly because Severus was paranoid because Harry had never used floo powder before. He made the boy practice saying where he wanted to go before letting him go. Lucius couldn't help chuckling to himself at seeing his friend show such concern for the boy. Once they were at Diagon Alley there first stop was of course Gringotts so Severus could take out some of his money. It was adorable when Harry had asked Draco about the goblins. The poor boy still had a lot to learn about the wizarding world but he seemed to be adjusting well.

After Severus got his money they started their shopping with robes and other clothes. Lucius felt bad for young Harry and had helped Severus buy him some shoes since he seemed to need an entire new wardrobe. Severus was excited when they got to the apothecary and had showed the boys exactly what they were going to need for his class. He had even bought a few things for his private stores. Lucius couldn't stop smiling when he saw the way Severus interacted with Harry. His friend seemed more relaxed then he had in years and Harry was finally starting to smile.

"Hey could you watch Harry for a bit," Severus asked startling Lucius from his thoughts. "Of course but you're going to miss the most exciting stop. Olivanders is next," Lucius pointed at the old but still popular shop. Severus nodded that he understood.

"Yes but I want to buy something as a surprise, sort of as a welcome to the wizarding world thing," he explained before leaving.

Lucius shrugged and guided both boys into the shop. Draco was practically jumping for joy while Harry was looking around like a lost puppy. Damn Lucius wanted to hug the boy but he had the reputation of Lord Malfoy to uphold.

"What kind of store is this one," Harry asked looking up at Lucius with his big green eyes. Lucius quietly told himself to be strong.

"This is so cool Harry. We're about to get our wands," Draco beamed. Harry seemed to be getting excited as well.

It didn't take long before Olivander himself came out of the back to greet them.

"Lord Malfoy, I see you've brought you son. It seems like only yesterday you father was bringing you in to buy your first wand," he said already looking through his stock. "This will be a quick one. All you Malfoys seem to follow the same pattern."

Draco leaned towards Harry.

"The core is always dragon heartstring and the wood is the same as our mothers' wands," he recited. Harry looked as if he hadn't understood a word he said.

Olivander came back and gave Draco a ebony wand. Draco picked it up and magic swirled around him as a sign of the wand accepting him. Harry looked at him shocked. Draco turned to Lucius with a grin on his still small face.

"Father, it's my wand," he said holding it up for Lucius to see. Lucius smiled down at his son and gave him a quick hug.

"Is that, Harry Potter," Olivander asked.

"Yes, he is shopping for his things with us today," Lucius explained. Olivander nodded and got right down to business.

Harry's wand was a bit more difficult. The first wand had a bunch of boxes flying right off the shelves. The second one didn't seem to agree with him either and shattered a vase terrifying Draco who hid behind him. Finally Olivander brought out a third wand that accepted Harry the moment he held it.

"Curious, very curious," Olivander mumbled.

"Excuse me, but what's curious," Harry asked.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold Mr. Potter. It just so happens that the phoenix whose tail lies in your wand, gave another feather, just one other. It's curious that you should be destined for this one, when its brother, gave you that scare," he finished pointing at Harry's forehead.

Draco let out a gasp and even Lucius shivered a bit. It took him a second to think about what the wand expert had said. Could it be possible that the dark lord had left a mark on the boy that wasn't physical? He paid for both the boys wands, since Severus had conveniently forgotten to give him any money for Harry, and they headed out of the shop.

"I take it everything went well," Severus asked as he approached them. Harry and Draco both smiled and showed him there new wands. It was Harry who first noticed the cage Severus was carrying.

"Professor Snape what's that," he asked.

"This is a gift welcoming you to the wizarding world. Your very own owl," Severus explained presenting Harry with a snow owl. Harry looked shocked to his core.

"Thank you," he stammered.

XxxxHeeheexxxX

Severus was exhausted by the time they got back to Malfoy Manor. He looked around and could see that he wasn't alone. Lucius was sitting on a couch holding his son in his lap as if he were a giant teddy bear. Draco didn't seem to care and unconsciously curled against his father. Harry was on the other side of the couch trying desperately to keep his eyes open. This kind of heartwarming scene could only happen when Narcissa wasn't in the manor. Severus briefly wondered where she was but he didn't dare ask. He thought that asking would be like summoning her from whatever hell she was residing in at the moment.

"Okay. I think it's time we all went to bed. We'll be going to the train station tomorrow," Severus suggested. "The train will be taking you to the school," he explained Harrys' unasked question.

"Sounds like a plan," Lucius sighed standing up with his son in his arms. "Are you guys staying again tonight?"

"Might as well, you're going to insist that we take the boys to the station together," Severus predicted.

Lucius nodded with a yawn.

"Oh well we'll see you two in the morning," he said walking out of the room with Draco still in his arms.

Harry stood up and started grabbing his stuff.

"Don't worry about that Harry. I'll pack everything for you and it'll be here when he leave for Kingscross station in the morning," Severus promised. He felt himself internally cringe. He had been overly nice to the boy all day and he still couldn't figure out why. Perhaps it was because seeing him with his relatives had reminded him of his own horrible childhood? Whatever the case, he wasn't used to it. He walked Harry down to his temporary bedroom next to his and they said their goodnights. As Severus got ready for bed he couldn't shack the feeling that this was the start of a long school year.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

**AN: I realize this was probably a boring chapter for you all but it had to be done. Stay tuned for the next chapter where Harry will finally meet Ron and Hermione and finally arrives at Hogwarts.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: As always I do not own any rights to Harry Potter.**

**AN: Again I'd like to thank you all for reading. You guys are the best!**

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Dumbledore entered his office with a pleasant smile on his face. After a few lemon drops and some tea he had settled down and thought over the Harry Potter situation. Then a thought had occurred to him. He might not be able to control the boys home life anymore but he was still the headmaster of Hogwarts. He approached the sorting hat who was slowly waking up.

"Good morning headmaster. Is it time to sort the new students," it asked. Dumbledore felt his smile widen.

"Not yet old friend. I was just going to make a request of you."

"And what would that be," the hat asked looking confused.

"I need you to sort Potter into Gryffindor," Dumbledore explained. The hat straightened itself.

"If that is where the boy belongs of course I will but if he belongs somewhere else I can't take requests to put him in another house," the hat explained.

Dumbledore sighed. He had figured that was what the hat would say. Luckily he had a plan.

"Maybe you will feel more accommodating after your cleaning," he suggested coyly.

"The house elves have already dusted me," the hat pointed out curiously.

"I know but I was thinking of a more thorough cleaning. We're going to be using a muggle invention to make sure you look your best this year," Dumbledore explained grinning evilly. The hat visibly shivered.

"What are you talking about," it demanded.

"We're going to put you in a muggle washing machine. Then we'll see how you feel about the Potter situation," Dumbledore answered picking up the hat and carrying it out of his office.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry couldn't believe he was here, sitting on a magical train on his way to a mystical school that will train him to be a wizard. He and Draco had waved goodbye to Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy as the train pulled away but Draco had been pulled into a train compartment by some of his friends leaving Harry alone. Harry really couldn't blame Draco though. Those people looked really pushy.

"Excuse me. Can I sit here, everywhere else is full."

Harry looked up at a red haired boy about his age.

"Of course not," Harry said gesturing to the seat across from him. The boy gave him a grateful smile and sat down.

"I'm Ron by the way, Ron Weasley," the boy introduced.

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

Rons' eyes widened significantly.

"So it's true. I mean do you really have the… the," he stuttered.

"What," Harry asked.

"Scare," Ron breathed out.

"Oh," Harry said in realization. He lifted his bangs up so the boy could see.

"Wicked."

Harry laughed. The boy seemed funny and they started talking about different things like what they expected Hogwarts would be like and Ron even gave Harry a speech about how great a wizarding sport called Quiddich was. When it came time for snacks Harry ended up sharing the lite meal Mr. Malfoy had packed him since Ron's sandwich got all smashed him. They were having a fun time talking and practicing spells on Rons' pet rat until a bushy haired girl walked by wearing her school robes.

"Have either of you seen a toad? A boy name Neville's lost one," she asked. Harry and Ron shook their heads. The girl stepped closer into the cabin.

"Well could you at least look under your seats," she asked. Harry and Ron complied but didn't find anything.

"I'm sorry but there's nothing here," Harry apologized looking up at the girl. His bangs must have got brushed aside because the girl's eyes suddenly got wide.

"Holy cricket, you're Harry Potter," she exclaimed. The girl didn't seem to want to wait for a response. "I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?"

"Ron Weasley," Ron introduced.

"Charmed. You'd best change into robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon," Hermione informed them. She then quickly sped out of the cabin, no doubt continuing her search for the missing toad.

"She was a weird one," Ron commented. Harry couldn't help but nod in agreement but he didn't think it was a bad thing. She seemed very smart and sure of herself. She definably was the type of person to leave an impression.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

After a short boat ride the first year students were herded into the school but not before Harry got a spectacular view of the castle that would be his home for the next few months. He had been so focused on the structure that he had almost fallen into the water. Inside the first year students all gathered together talking amongst themselves.

"Harry!"

Harry turned and smiled when he saw Draco and too other boys walking over to him.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to leave you by yourself," he apologized. Harry noticed Ron tense up beside him. Harry looked over at the two boys who were following Draco. "Oh, these are my friends Crabbe and Goyle."

"It's nice to meet you," Harry said shaking their hands. He noticed Crabbe looked angry for some reason and he gave his hand a hard squeeze. No one else seemed to notice and Harry just rubbed his hand wondering if he had offended the boy in some way.

"And what's your first name," Draco asked Ron. "I already know you're a Weasley."

Ron gave Draco a mean glare.

"How did you know that," Harry asked.

"Father says that if you come across a red headed wizard or witch it's most likely a Weasley. You have a lot of siblings who go to Hogwarts as well don't you," Draco asked Ron.

Ron gave a snort. Harry figured he probably didn't appreciate Draco talking about his family.

"Yes. All Gryffindors," Ron said puffing out his chest proudly. Draco started to look uncomfortable. Harry didn't understand why Ron was being so hostile towards him. He was being polite after all.

"Anyways did anyone say anything about missing a toad," Draco asked changing the subject.

A very round boy nearby suddenly looked over and ran toward them.

"You found Trevor," he asked looking at Draco expectantly.

Draco nodded and reached into his robes. He pulled out a large toad and the boy quickly took it from him.

"Thanks. I'm Neville Longbottom," the boy introduced.

Crabbe ad Goyle burst into laughter and the boy looked down and started to slowly walk backwards. Harry felt bad for the kid. Draco elbowed his to friends and gave them dirty looks. He looked like he was about to apologize to Neville when he was interrupted by an old women who introduced herself as Professor Mcgonagll. She announced that the sorting ceremony was about to begin.

They all followed the Professor into a great dining hall where all the other students were already sitting at their tables. At the front of the room there was a stool with a hat on top of it. Behind the strange set up was a long table where a group of older adults sat. Harry noticed Professor Snape sitting at the end. Harry barely heard Hermione to his side talking about the bewitched ceiling. He looked up and nearly tripped when he saw the night sky staring back at him. Harry had barely noticed the sorting ceremony had started when he heard Hermiones' name being called. She suddenly looked really nervous and Harry could hear her telling herself to relax.

"Mental that one I'm telling you," Ron whispered.

"Gryffindor," the hat announced. Hermione instantly relaxed and practically skipped over to her houses' table.

Harry waited patiently as a few more students were called and then sorted into houses. He couldn't wait to see where his new friends were placed. He hoped they would all be together. Even though Draco and Ron didn't seem to get along.

"Draco Malfoy."

Unlike the other first years, Draco looked confident as he walked up and sat down on the small stool. The hat had barely touched his head when it shouted, "Slytherin!"

The Slytherin table erupted into cheers as Draco walked toward it with a smug smile. Harry smiled at his friend. Perhaps he would also get into Slytherin. His attention was brought back to the ceremony when he heard Rons' name being called. Harry watched as his other friend was sorted into Gryffindor with his family. Now Harry wasn't sure where he wanted to be sorted. He guessed he'd leave it up to the hat.

"Harry Potter," Professor Mcgonagall called. Harry suddenly grew very nervous as everyone around him started to whisper. He couldn't help but notice that most of the whispers just sounded like people repeating his name. He hoped this wouldn't happen every time someone called on him. He felt his legs move on autopilot to the stool where he sat down. The hat was placed on his head and Harry couldn't help but be distracted by the smell of Downy fabric softener. Did they just have this hat cleaned? The hat almost sounded scared when it called out, "Gryffindore."

Harry could barely hear himself think when the Gryffindor's began to shout their excitement as he walked over to their table. A few of them even shook his hand. It was nice to feel wanted and Harry couldn't help smiling. He looked up at the teachers table and saw the old man in the middle, who he assumed to be the Headmaster, raise his glass slightly as a sort of salute. Harry looked over at Professor Snape he was also giving him a smile.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Lucius couldn't help but feel a little depressed as he sat in his study looking over his paperwork. It hadn't even been a full day yet and he already missed Draco. It was bad enough when he couldn't see his best friend for a few months at a time but now his son was gone to that school as well. Perhaps he could use his position on the board of education to visit the school. A quiet knocking drew him out of his thoughts.

"Come in," he called. Doby walked in holding a letter. Doby wasn't his only house elf but he was the one Lucius trusted the most. Lucius gave him a polite smile.

"An owl from the ministry brought this sir."

Lucius took the letter and dismissed the house elf. He was surprised to see that it was from the MCPS. He had only sent the letter along with Severus' memories that morning. They had really acted fast. He opened the letter and read every sentence twice. It seemed that they were quite appalled by what Severus had seen and wished to take action immediately. Lucius could only guess it had something to do with the fact that the child in question was 'The Boy Who Lived'. The only thing that had Lucius concerned was that they were requesting Harrys' memories of his abuse. Lucius was more than a little concerned about how the boy would react to having his memories put on display for everyone to see. He would have to send a letter to Severus. Lucius sighed as he reached for a quill and a blank parchment. No doubt the MCPS had already contacted Dumbledore about what was happening. He hoped Severus wouldn't get in too much trouble for not contacting him about what they were doing.

He started writing when he overheard someone screeching. He let out another sigh and put his quill away. No doubt his wife had decided to race him with her presence after almost two weeks of being gone. He swept out of the room and followed the screeches to the manors' main entrance. Narcissa was yelling at her personal house elf named Pinky about not greeting her fast enough. Lucius rolled his eyes. God forbid the woman had to wait more than two second.

"Narcissa could you please calm down," he drawled. Narcissa looked up at him and sneered.

"I don't have to answer to you. I've had a long trip and need to relax," she complained.

"Ah yes, and where did you go this time," Lucius asked even though he knew he wouldn't be getting a truthful answer.

"Azkaban visiting my sister," Narcissa said pushing her bags to Pinky who disappeared. Lucius didn't feel like commenting that he knew that Azkaban wasn't currently allowing visitors due to a recent rioting.

"Oh and where is he," Narcissa asked looking around. Lucius was caught off guard by the question.

"Who?"

The bitch dared to roll her eyes at him.

"Our son of course," she explained sticking up her nose slightly. "You would think he knew his manners better. He should be greeting me as well should he not?"

"Draco is at Hogwarts," Lucius said through clenched teeth. Narcissa looked confused.

"But isn't he too young? I thought the age was twelve. He still has two years."

Lucius wanted to strangle the women. How dare she call herself Dracos' mother! He was a sweet and caring boy and she didn't even put in enough effort to remember his age. Lucius recalled how half the time he had to remind her when his birthday was and even then she wouldn't be home for it. Lucius couldn't wait until he could divorce the women. He would have done it long ago but he knew she would file for custody of Draco. Lucius didn't even want to think of what would happen to his son if Narcissa was in charge of raising him.

"Our son is twelve and is now a student at Hogwarts. If your waiting for him to greet you I'm afraid you'll be standing her a long time," he said trying to keep himself calm.

"I suppose I'll just go to my rooms then," Narcissa sighed as she passed him to go up the stairs.

Lucius waited until she was long gone before he dared to take a step. After dealing with that women he felt exhausted. He decided to just take a bath and just go to bed.

"But first to finish that letter," he sighed.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Severus grudgingly walked into Dumbledore's office. He didn't have time for this. He had to set up his lessons for the first day of term. He usually would have had it done by now but he had been too busy with Potter, but he had to admit, he was glad he had gone to pick up the boy. Hagrid meant well but there was no way he would have saw the signs of abuse no matter how clear they were. The man was just too pure hearted. Severus thought back to the sorting ceremony. He hadn't been surprised that Harry had been sorted into Gryffindor. After all both his parents had been in that house, but Severus had to admit he had hoped the boy would be in his house. He was shy and new to magic but with how well he had already adjusted to everything Severus could tell he would be a good student.

Severus looked at Dumbledores' desk to see both him and Minerva standing there. They both looked serious. Severus looked down to see a letter from the MCPS. He couldn't help but feel impressed by how fast they had worked.

"Severus, I assume you know what this is about," Dumbledore said gravely.

"I assume it's a response to the report I made about Mr. Potters' relatives," Severus answered truthfully.

"Why didn't you inform me that you were doing this," Dumbledore asked.

"I didn't have the time. I was busy getting Mr. Potter ready for his first year of school," Severus explained. That was partly true. He was busy but he could have probably found time to send a letter.

"I knew it," Minerva interrupted. "I just knew it. I did tell you Albus. I told you that those muggles were the worst sort. I hope the boy isn't too hurt by all of this. Did you seem him at the ceremony? It doesn't look like they gave him a single bit to eat since we dropped him off."

Both men decided to sit back and let the woman rant. If she didn't get it out of her system now they would just have to hear it later.

"You have to believe me that I thought the boy would be better off with his relatives," Albus defended. "If he had grown up knowing that he was famous it would have changed him. I wanted to keep him innocent, and I thought he would only be able to get that in the muggle world. I also thought he would be safer."

"How," Severus interrupted. "How would he be safer in the muggle world than here?"

"No one other than a few people here knew of Lilys' sister. I was able to keep the whole thing a secret from the press so no one knew where the boy was. Not to mention the blood wards to keep out all those who had the intention of harming the boy," Dumbledore explained.

"Well it didn't keep out that family did it," Severus sneered. "It didn't stop that man stuffing that boy into a cupboard and it didn't put food on his plate."

Minerva placed her hand on his arm to calm him down. He took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Dumbledore watched him from his seat.

"I think we're done here for now but I wish to be informed about any and all developments with Mr. Potters situation," he said when it was clear the Severus had calmed down.

Severus nodded and swept out of the room. He couldn't stand that man. He always pretended to be this perfect vision of light and Severus felt like he was the only one who saw the man for what he was. A manipulating old man who loved being in the center of things. He let out a sigh as he began to head to the dungeons. He couldn't deal with the man now. He had to get his class ready.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: I'd just like to say I'm grateful to all of you who are reading this and giving me the nice reviews. If you haven't figured it out this story is my first fanfiction and I was super nervous to post it but I'm happy you guys seem to like it. I plan on posting other stories in the future but for now I'm going to focus on this one. Again, you guys are awesome. Digital brownies for you all! Heehee Until the next chapter. See ya!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: As always I do not own Harry Potter or any other character in the series.**

**AN: I would like to thank those of you who reviewed. In response I would like to say, you guys are right, the age is supposed to be eleven not twelve. So for the record, Draco and the other first years are eleven at this time in the story. I also feel like I have to tell you guys that I do know how to spell scar. I can't imagine why I spelled it scare. I'll try to be more careful in my proofreading.**

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Harry felt exhausted by the end of his first week at school. So much had happened. The first day had been overwhelming, especially since both he and Ron had gotten lost before their first class. He was happy they hadn't received detention but they did end up losing points for their house. Luckily they had Hermione with them. She was just as smart as Harry had originally thought. It seemed like she had already read the books the teachers had assigned. She was also very talented. She seemed to perform almost every spell perfectly but there was one class where spell craft didn't matter and it was easily Harry's favorite class.

Potions reminded Harry a lot of cooking which had been Harry's favorite chore at the Dursleys. It was pleasant to just relax and follow the instructions and create something useful. It also helped that it was Snape who was teaching. It didn't take Harry long to notice the difference between the way the man acted during the summer and when he was teaching. Harry figured it was part of his job though. If a student wasn't careful they could cause a cauldron to explode which did happen the second day. Luckily no one was hurt but Harry had felt bad for Neville as he and the rest of the class watched as Snape lectured him harshly about paying attention to what he mix into his potions. It seemed Snape had quite a reputation for giving detentions and taking points. Harry and Draco were currently the only first year students not terrified of the man.

Harry hated going to his Defense Against the Dark Arts, or DADA as everyone called it. He would always get a splitting headache that seemed to be centered around his scar. He also found it hard to follow Professor Quirrell with his stutter.

The most exciting thing that had happened would have to be their first flying lesson when Neville had lost control of his broom and had unfortunately fallen and broken his wrist. Harry couldn't help but feel that the boy was the personification of bad luck. Draco had found Nevilles' remembrall. Harry had seen him pick it up and chuckle.

"What's so funny," Harry asked.

"It's ironic isn't it? He forgot his remembrall," Draco laughed.

"I guess it is. Why don't you give me that so I can take it to him," Harry offered.

Draco held the trinket out for Harry to take only to have it snatched by Crabbe. Draco gave him a scolding look which the boy ignored.

"Why are you even bothering to give it back? It's not going to help him any, the kid's a walking catastrophe," he said looking down at his stolen prize. A few Slytherins laughed.

"Give it here Crabbe," Harry ordered. This guy was an ass. He had no idea why Draco hung around him.

"You want it," Crabbe asked. Without warning, he through the remembrall towards the castle. "Go get it."

Harry hadn't even thought about what he was doing. He just didn't want to see another bad thing happen to Neville. He hadn't even realized that he was flying until he had caught the remembrall before it smashed against the castle wall. He had to admire Crabbes' throwing arm. The ball had certainly traveled far. Harry quickly landed on the ground and was swarmed by Gryffindors congratulating him on his accomplishment. For a moment he thought everything was okay, until he heard Professor Mcgonagall calling his name. He had been on the verge of either puking or passing out as she led him away from his classmates. His mind kept going over what would happen to him if he were to be expelled. Luckily she had not taken him to the headmaster but to the head of gryffindors quiddich team. That was when he learned that he was to be their new seeker.

Harry let out a happy sigh. It was finally the weekend and the weather was nice enough for him to do his homework outside. Hermione seemed to be thinking the same thing because she was already heading outside with her book bag. Ron looked like he wanted to have fun even though he had homework to do as well. Harry was about to go join Hermione when he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Snape.

"Potter, you need to follow me to the headmasters' office," he said catching both Hermione and Rons' attention.

"Am I in trouble," Harry asked feeling his heart rate speed up. The professor shook his head.

"No. I'll explain once we get there."

Harry got even more nervous when he entered the office to see that not only was the headmaster there but Mcgonagall as well. Dumbledore made a gesture for him to sit down.

"Relax Harry, you are not in trouble. We are merely here to take care of some business. As the headmaster I must be here for this and Professor Mcgonagall is here because she is your head of house," Professor Dumbledore explained before offering Harry some candy. Harry declined.

"What business," he asked.

"About your relatives and how they treated you," Professor Dumbledore explained. Harry tensed.

"Harry," Snape said getting his attention. It was the first time the man had used his first name. "Mr. Malfoy has been working hard on your custody transfer and we believe we're close to going to court. Soon you'll have a new home and your relatives will be punished for their crimes."

Harry felt his heart swell at the thought of never having to return to that house again. No more name calling, no more beatings, and perhaps he would even be fed everyday like at school.

"Really?"

"Yes but there is one thing," Snape answered.

"You see Harry, there has to be a trial before any punishment can be given," Professor Dumbledore explained. "They'll need you're testimony."

Harry had seen enough TV to know what that meant.

"I…I can't," he stammered. "I can't face them again. Uncle will get mad and punish me."

He could feel tears welling up. Mcgonagall drew him into a hug.

"That monster will never lay a hand on you again," she said in a dangerous tone. Harry allowed the hug to calm him down.

"The court will understand if you do not wish to attend but instead we'll need to extract some of your memories as evidence," Professor Dumbledore said soothingly. Harry pulled away from Mcgonagall.

"How do you do that," he asked.

"I'll be doing that," Snape said kneeling down so that he was eye level with Harry. "But it will require me going into your mind so I may extract the right memories. Are you okay with that?"

"I trust you," Harry said with a nod. Snape nodded and brought out a vial much like the one Harry had seen him use during the summer. He opened it and pulled out his wand.

"You need to relax, I promise not to invade your mind more than I have to,"Snape said in a soothing tone. Harry nodded and closed his eyes.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Severus pressed his wand gently against Potters' temple and closed his eyes. He was instantly in a web of painful memories all of which had him seeing red. Lucius had asked him to get any memory that would show that Potters' wellbeing was threatened. Severus hadn't expected that he would have so many to choose from.

A particular memory caught his eye. Potter looked about five and he was crying inside his little cupboard. There were sounds of a thunder storm outside and Harry would let out a small yelp every time there was a particularly loud one. There were loud thumping sounds of someone coming down the stairs and the cupboard door was ripped open. The whale Severus had come to find out was named Vernon looked at the small boy with absolute disgust and rage.

"What in blazes is wrong with you boy? You're disturbing your aunt," he raged.

"But Uncle Vernon I'm scared," the little boy cried.

"Men don't cry boy, only little freaks who sleep outside cry," the man said dragging the boy out of bed by his little arm. The child started to kick and cry louder but was silenced with the threat of a beating and no food for a week. Severus watched in horror as Vernon opened the back door and threw his nephew out into the storm where the boy had stayed all night, curled up against the door, until his aunt let him in early the next morning before any of the neighbors saw him.

Severus grabbed that memory along with one that showed Potter getting beaten by his uncle shortly after receiving his letter and another one that showed Potter cooking a meal for the disgusting family but only being allowed to eat what they had left behind, which was almost nothing.

Severus pulled himself out of Potters mind and poured the memories into the vial. It took him a second to notice that the boy was shaking and on the verge of tears. Minerva was holding his hand and rubbing his arm.

"Harry," Severus said getting the boys attention. It was rare for him to use a students' first name since he thought it was too personal but it seemed to be better for getting the boys attention. "No one is going to think any less of you because of this. What your relatives did was torment and abused a child that they were supposed to love and care for. I promise you will never have to go through that kind of pain again."

Potter seemed to relax a bit but then he suddenly got worried again.

"But where will I live now," he asked.

"Lucius is working very hard to get everything taken care of quickly so that you will have a new guardian before school ends," he assured the boy. Actually, they planned to have everything taken care of before Christmas but Severus didn't want to mention that in front of Dumbledore.

Although Dumbledore had ordered Severus to keep him informed about everything that was happening Severus still didn't trust him. The old man was way too manipulative. Unfortunately Severus had to inform him about extracting the memories for the trial since he would have just found out about it later and then Severus would have been in trouble. As much as he hated the old man, he was still his boss, but there were some things Severus could get away with. Like the fact that he knew that Lucius was already well on his way to getting his hands on James and Lily Potters' original will.

Severus turned his attention back onto Potter who was receiving an unnecessary long speech about how if he needed help all he had to do was ask. It was all he could do not to roll his eyes.

"Oh headmaster I forgot to tell you," Severus said interrupting the man before he could use another cheap and clichéd line. "Lucius Malfoy will be here any moment to pick up Potters' memories."

He could tell that the mans' smile was forced.

"And why, may I ask couldn't he send an owl," he asked. "I would have been more than happy to send it off myself."

_I'm sure you would, but not before you tampered with the memories making them useless_, Severus thought to himself.

"I believe he is using this as an excuse to visit his son," Severus said vaguely. He knew that Lucius had been dying for any and every excuse to get out of the house. According to his latest letter, Narcissa was apparently sticking around this time and was making his life, and the lives of the house elves, a living hell.

"I'm going to go meet him now if that is okay," Severus asked. Dumbledore nodded.

"Can I go too," Potter asked.

"Of course you can," Minerva said as she began shooing the boys out of the office. "You deserve some free time after all of this. Just remember to spend time with your friends as well."

Severus led Potter out of the office.

"Are you sure you want to come with me? You don't have to feel obligated to meet him," Severus assured. Potter gave him a confused look.

"I don't mind at all. Mr. Malfoy has been very nice to me and he's been helping me out with my relatives. I know it's weird but I feel like I owe him a lot," Potter explained. For some reason the way he was talking about Lucius bothered Severus but he quickly ignored the strange feeling. "Plus he's really funny."

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Everything seemed normal for the next few weeks. Severus taught his classes and would sometimes discreetly check up on Potter to see how he was doing. The boy seemed to be getting along with his housemates, especially Ron Weasley. At least the red headed moron was a good distraction so Potter wasn't so worried about his home life situation. The only concern Severus really had was Professor Quirrell. He would often catch the man skulking around the third floor corridor where Dumbledore had hidden the sorcerer's' stone and would often stutter something incoherent when he saw Severus looking at him and walk quickly away. That man gave Severus the creeps. Other than that though, everything was peaceful. Until Halloween that is.

Severus had decided to be a little festive and reached for desert first. He grabbed a piece of red velvet cake that had red icing haphazardly spread over it so it looked like a bloody piece of meat. It may not have looked pretty but it still tasted good. His revelry was interrupted when Quirrell ran into the great hall screaming like a mad man.

"Troll in the dungeon! Troll in the dungeon," he screamed coming to a halt in front of the head table. "I thought you'd want to know," he said calmly before passing out.

It didn't even take three second for all hell to break lose as children started screaming and getting up to run from the room.

"Quiet," a commanding voice rang throughout the room. Everyone stopped in their tracks and looked at Dumbledore. "Now students will calmly go back to your dormitories, teachers will follow me to the dungeon."

Students and teachers alike started scrambling to follow the headmasters orders.

"Bull shit," Severus muttered. There was no way in hell an idiotic creature such as a troll could get in on its own. This was likely a distraction and Severus had a pretty good idea as to who set it up. He carefully slipped out of the great hall and headed in the opposite direction as the rest of the teachers.

It didn't take long for him to get to the third floor corridor where Quirrell arrived shortly after.

"My, you got over your fainting spell fast," Severus commented getting Quirrells' attention.

The man turned and started sputtering some excuse that Severus didn't even bother to listen to.

"Rest assured I will be mentioning this to Dumbledore, now, why don't we do our duty as teachers and take care of that nasty troll you undoubtedly let into the castle," Severus said motioning towards the exit. A creaking sound caught his attention and he was barely able to avoid getting hit by the door to the three headed dog's lair. He was further startled when one of its heads popped out and started snapping its jaws at him. He tripped backwards and scrambled to get his wand out of his robes. After getting his bearings back Snape quickly stunned the massive dog and quickly fixed the door. Quirrell hadn't moved an inch to help him. The man seemed to have been terrified to the state of being frozen. Snape let out a growl. What had the man expected? A fuzzy kitten to guard the stone? Severus grabbed the man roughly by the shoulder and pulled him towards the dungeons. They were almost there when they ran into Minerva.

"Where have you to been," Minerva demanded.

"I'll explain later," Severus promised.

"It seems the beast made its way out of the dungeon," Minerva explained.

They all went silent and heard the sounds of yelling down the hall. Shit, some students must have ignored the headmasters' orders and decided to get a peek at the troll. All three teachers took off as fast as they could. They heard a large thumping noise as they approached a girl's lavatory. They all skidded to a stop and Severus was floored by what he saw.

There, standing next to a fainted troll, was Potter and his friends Weasley and Granger. They all seemed to be in perfect health as well. He had been barely paying attention to Granger's explanation. He had heard Minerva taking points but then give points to Potter and Weasley for what she called 'sheer dumb luck' which he didn't agree with in the slightest. It was insane to reward students for doing something so suicidal.

"P-perhaps we ought to go," Quirrell suggested. "M-m-might wake up."

Severus turned and walked out of the lavatory after the children. Minerva grabbed his arm and Severus and all three students stopped.

"I'll go contact the other teachers and we'll handle clean up. Severus, can you escort these three to their dormitory," she asked. Severus raised an eyebrow at her.

"Of course but why are you having me take care of them. They are from your house are they not?"

To those who didn't know him, he probably sounded condescending but Minerva was one of the few people who could read him accurately.

"Yes but I would like for you to do the easy job," Minerva explained irritating Severus.

"And why would that be," he asked.

Severus could feel the stares of the students behind him. He was hoping Minerva wasn't about to degrade him in front of them. She seemed to enjoy teasing him.

"Honestly Severus, you need to take better care of yourself. I bet you haven't even realized your leg is bleeding," she chided.

Severus looked down to see that his leg had indeed been injured. It must have been that three headed demon. Severus needed to talk to Dumbledore about that thing. Sure it was a great guard dog but this was a school dammit. That thing would tear apart every student it came across if it got out. Not to mention that Severus was pretty sure that keeping an animal locked up in a dark room like that was probably violating some magical animal rights law.

"Yes I will get this taken care of and I'll take care of the idiot trio," Severus sighed. Minerva gave him a nod and left.

Severus quietly led the trio to the portrait guarding the Gryffindor common room. He watched as Granger and Weasley went inside but stopped Potter. He gave him a fierce glare but felt a little guilty when Potter flinched giving him a terrified look.

"I'm not going to yell at you or lecture you but I swear if you do something so idiotically dangerous again," he started through clenched teeth but Potter cut him off.

"I'm sorry please don't hate me. I just wanted to warn Hermione, I didn't know that the troll would be there," Potter pleaded. Severus sighed and put his hand on the boys shoulder.

"It's okay, I don't hate you. I'm upset that you managed to scare three years out of me but I don't hate you. I just request that you reframe from making decisions that will get you killed."

Potter relaxed a little bit and Severus straightened himself out.

"Now off to bed. You have a big day tomorrow," Severus reminded the boy and turned to leave.

"Goodnight," Potter called after him.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Severus was exhausted by the time he made it back to his private chambers. Pomfrey had told him his leg would be sore tomorrow but other than that it would be fine. He was glad she hadn't asked him too many questions about what happened. He was too tired to deal with the anything. He almost cried in relief when he finally fell onto his bed and buried his head into the silk sheets, not that he would ever admit to doing so. He would, however, admit the rage he felt when the sound of a owl pecking at his window filled his ears.

"I swear to god if that's the old man is summoning me I will turn in my letter of resignation," he yelled opening the window. He was taken back when he found a falcon instead of an owl there. It was clearly one of Lucius'. Severus quickly took the letter and shooed away the bird. There was no way he was writing anything back tonight. Severus sighed as he opened the letter. He would judge by the length whether or not he was going to read it tonight or wait till the morning. There was only a small note connected to a few official documents.

_Severus,_

_I think you need to read this yourself instead of me telling you what it says. The original documents are with the lawyers. Send me a letter when you're done and we'll set up a meeting to talk about it._

_ Lucius_

Severus couldn't help but be concerned. His friend had been entirely too serious in his note. He looked curiously at the documents.

"The last will in testament of James and Lily Potter," he read out loud.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: Finally done! Next chapter we find out who Harry was originally supposed to live with. Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: As always I do not own Harry Potter.**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Severus groaned after casting another tempus. He hadn't slept much the last few days. What he had read in his best friends will had weighed heavily on his mind. He had figured that James and Lily wouldn't have wanted their son to be raised by those muggles but he had no idea. Severus sat down on his black sofa in front of his fireplace waiting for Lucius to show up. He glanced down at the will on his coffee table. He reread the line that had robbed him of his peace of mind.

_In the event of our death we request that Sirius Black and Severus Snape be given joint custody of our son Harry Potter._

The will went on to explain that James and Lily knew that Sirius would have been an excellent guardian but they also knew that he was immature in some areas so they wanted Severus to be there as well. Severus also guessed that being raised by each of his parents' best friends Harry would somehow feel closer to them. Severus closed his eyes and sunk back into the chair. He thought about this would mean. Black was currently serving a life long sentence in Azkaban so that would mean he would have to raise the boy himself. As much as Severus wanted to help the boy, he couldn't help feeling a little frightened at the idea of actually being responsible for the boy. He needed to talk to Lucius.

Lucius walked through the portrait to Severus' private rooms exactly at six. He was always on top but Severus secretly wished he had been there earlier. After offering him tea he sent one of the school house elves to bring them breakfast. Lucius sipped his tea.

"So I take it you've been thinking carefully about what the will said," he started cautiously.

"Yes. I just don't know," Severus admitted. "I want to help Potter, I really do but this."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. The house elf reappeared with their breakfast and set it in front of them before disappearing again. Lucius took a small bite of his toast before saying anything.

"You're scared," he stated. It wasn't a question but Severus nodded. Lucius was the only person he would ever admit something like that to. "I'd be surprised if you weren't. I remember when I found out Narcissa was pregnant, at first I was happy I would never have to touch her again but then I started to realize I was going to be a father and I lost my mind."

"I can't be his father," Severus cried.

"You don't have to. Harry already has a father, he just can't take care of him now. You just have to keep him safe, warm and fed," Lucius soothed.

"I don't know anything about raising a child. He's already been through so much," Severus pointed out.

"You've been through a lot too. You two have a lot in common and I believe this arrangement will be the best thing to happen to both of you."

Severus slumped over and looked down at his hands.

"Have…have you looked into other options," he asked. Lucius nodded.

"I have, but we both know it isn't necessary. You have never done anything half-assed in your life."

"How would it be half-assed to send the boy to live in a proper home," Severus growled. He glared at Lucius but his friend just rolled his eyes.

"Taking the boy from an abusive home but refusing the responsibility of taking care of him afterwards, sounds half-assed to me and don't give me that look you know I'm right," Lucius explained chewing on a piece of bacon.

"I did a hell of a lot more than Dumbledore did," Severus pointed out.

"Yes, we also need to talk about that. Unfortunately we can't find any evidence that Dumbledore looked at the will or even knew about it. I'm afraid at the moment we can't pursue any legal action. Dumbledore is just too well liked and all we have to go on is hearsay," Lucius said casually as if he was discussing the weather.

"But he placed a child at a home without even looking at what his parents wanted. How could no one find that in the least bit suspicious," Severus demanded finally giving into his hunger and started to eat his eggs.

"I did what I thought was best. I'm afraid I assumed the child would be happy with the only family he had left and could have a normal childhood away from all the people who knew his name and what he had done. I made a terrible mistake and hope I can somehow make amends," Lucius said mimicking Dumbledore.

Severus just nodded. Lucius was right. Everyone would sympathize with the old man who had become a sort of symbol for good. It would take nothing less than solid facts and evidence to have a case against the man. Severus thought about anything he could think of to incriminate the man as he finished his breakfast and tea.

"I think we're going to have to inform him about this," Lucius said suddenly.

"Inform who?"

"Dumbledore, I know we'd rather keep him in the dark as much as we can but this is stuff he's going to find out about anyway and being the headmaster we're obligated to keep him up to date about matters like this that involve one of his students."

"When would you like to do that," Severus asked.

"Since it's a Saturday I'm sure we can do it today, after the quidditch game of course. I want to see Harry's first game," Lucius said excitedly.

"Should Harry be there as well?"

"Yes since we're also going to talk about what's happening with his relatives as well."

Severus nodded and started to write a note to the headmaster to set up the meeting.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Lucius had never seen a more stressful but exciting quidditch game in his life. He could tell it was more stressful then exciting for his friend. Severus' face was still tight from when they saw Harrys' broom start thrashing and jerking. It was clear someone had jinxed his broom. He had heard Severus curse out loud when Harry had almost fallen off. Lucius didn't want to admit but he had been close to dropping his Malfoy mask and start crying in fear right there in the stands. Unfortunately he had been taught that Malfoys never cry so he forced himself to keep a neutral face.

Severus was brilliant though and started muttering a counter curse that seemed to be calming down the broom enough for Harry to not lose his grip. Oddly enough it was shortly after when Severus' cloak had caught fire. He had jumped up and immediately started to stomp it out, knocking one of the other Professors out of his seat. Lucius had searched for something that might have caused the fire but there was nothing there. Luckily whoever was jinxing the broom had stopped and the boy was able to climb back on and continue the game.

The game ended with Harry actually standing on the broom handle to catch the snitch, a trick that was usually only accomplished by professionals. Lucius had noticed how tense Severus was as Harry performed the impressive feat. Lucius stifled a chuckle. Who was the man kidding? He clearly cared deeply for the boy. It didn't surprise Lucius at all when Harry caught the snitch but he had to admit that he hadn't expected him to catch it in his mouth. Much like his father had been, the boy was full of surprises. By the time the player left the field Severus looked as if he had been one of the ones playing. He had sweat on his brow and he looked exhausted.

"Lucius," he asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"If I were to leave that boy alone, how long do you think it would be before he got himself killed?"

"Not long it seems," Lucius answered. He had heard about the incident with the troll on Halloween and it seemed like the boy was a magnet for trouble.

Severus gave a quick nod and turned and started making his way to Dumbledores' office where they were to have the meeting.

"That's what I thought."

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry was smiling as he walked out of the locker room with his teammates. Everyone was still celebrating and congratulating Harry on his first catch. Harry smiled as he saw Ron and Hermione waiting for them. He got a little worried when he noticed their serious expressions.

"What's wrong," he asked.

"Harry aren't you in the least bit concerned that someone put a jinx on your broom and tried to kill you," Hermione asked. Harry just blinked. With all the excitement of winning the game he and everyone else had forgotten it.

"Well I guess but I don't think it would have killed me. I'm sure one of the teachers would have saved me with a levitating charm," he reasoned.

"Harry, it was Snape," Ron said seriously.

"What?"

"We saw Snape jinxing your broom," Hermione explained in a low voice so no one would hear.

Harry felt a stabbing pain in his chest. No, that wasn't possible. Snape would never do something like that to him. He wasn't like his uncle. Snape would never hurt him.

"You're mistaken," he said angrily.

"Harry, I know a spell when I see one. You have to keep eye contact and he wasn't blinking," Hermione explained. Harry just shook his head.

"You're wrong! You don't know everything Hermione," Harry yelled.

Hermiones' eyes were wide and she looked stunned.

"Harry?"

"Why are you defending the bloody git who tried to kill you," Ron said angrily.

Harry was about to tell Ron to piss off when he noticed Professor Mcgonagall walking towards them. She had probably heard them arguing and wanted to see what was going on.

"Harry you need to come with me to the headmasters' office. We have some important matters to discuss," she said. Harry didn't even say goodbye to his friends before he followed her.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

"I was surprised by your visit Lucius," Dumbledore said sitting down at his desk.

Lucius gave him a glare. He always hated it when Dumbledore would use his first name but Severus didn't really care about that at the moment. He was waiting for Minerva to return with the boy. He had come to his decision while watching Harrys' first quidditch game.

"Professor Dumbledore, I have to ask. Did you read James and Lily Potters' last will in testament," Lucius asked in a professional tone. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't see a need. I had to put the boy where I knew he would be safe and away from the wizarding world. There isn't a witch or wizard that hasn't heard of him so it was clear he would be safer in the muggle world," Dumbldore justified. Severus refrained from snorting.

"But it is clear to us now that the boy was not safe in that house," Lucius said coldly. "The issue we find ourselves in is the result of your blatant disregard for not only proper protocol but the wishes of the Potter boys' parents."

Dumbledore gave him a sad look but didn't say anything. Everyone's attention was diverted to the door as Minerva and Harry walked in. Harry looked nervously over at them.

"Harry my boy, come in and sit. I wish we could have settled this nasty business but Lord Malfoy insists that you be here," Dumbledore said offering the boy a seat.

Severus didn't even bother to stop his snort this time. If anyone was supposed to be here it was Harry. It was his life all of this affected. Dumbledore gave him a stern look over his glasses.

"Now Malfoy, what is this about," Minerva asked. "I assume you have news about the upcoming trial."

Lucius nodded.

"There are a few things I must inform all of you. Firstly, earlier this week a group of aurors arrested Vernon and Petunia Dursley for child abuse and neglect."

Severus watched Harry as the information seemed to absorb. At first he looked relieved but then he seemed to realize something.

"Mr. Malfoy," he asked.

"Yes Potter?"

Harry looked confused but still continued.

"What happened to my cousin?"

"Dudley Dursley has been placed in the custody of his Aunt Margret," Lucius answered. He was barely managing to keep his act up. Severus could tell his friend hated having to act distant.

"So I take it you have all the evidence you need against them," Dumbledore asked.

"Yes. The trial will take place in a few weeks. We at the ministry are trying to handle this as quickly and quietly as we can," Lucius informed.

"Does the ministry also have a plan for the custody transfer," Minerva asked.

Lucius gave Severus a knowing look. Severus took in a deep breath and nodded.

"Actually that matter is really quite simple, especially since Harry shouldn't have been placed with his relatives to begin with."

Minerva looked astounded and Harrys' face seemed to lose all emotion. Severus was a little more than concerned. Lucius pulled the copy of the Potters' will out of his robes and handed it to Minerva.

"Who may I ask, was the boy supposed to live with if not for his only relatives," Dumbledore asked.

"Oh my," Minerva said as she read the document.

"What is it Minerva," Dumbledore asked losing patience.

Severus sighed and stepped up.

"The will clearly states that Lily and James wanted their best friends to raise their son. It says nothing about her relatives," he announced looking down at his boss.

"I'm sorry my boys, but I cannot allow that for obvious reasons," Dumbledore said sadly. Harry looked as if he was about to cry. Severus placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and turned back to the headmaster. "All of James Potters' best friends are either dead, in Azkaban, or suffering from a condition that simply cannot allow them to take care of a child on their own."

"You seem to misunderstand headmaster," Lucius interrupted. "You forget that James wasn't the only one who had close friends."

Harry straightened up and looked up at Severus as if he had already figured out where this was going.

"Albus, this document says they wished for a joint custody between Sirius Black and Severus," Minerva informed handing the headmaster the papers. Severus watched Dumbledore read through the will but noticed a slight tugging on his arm. He looked down at Harry.

"Does this mean I'll be living with you?"

Severus actually allowed himself to smile down at the boy. Harry smiled back.

"Yes. At the end of the school year you will be returning with me to my home," he said softly.

"Are you sure you can provide for the boy Severus," Dumbledore asked.

"I can provide for Potter a hell of a lot more than his relatives did," Severus snapped. "Plus it's not like I don't have any experience with children his age."

"So as you can see headmaster, everything is going to be just fine and you have nothing to worry about," Lucius said with a cunning smirk.

"I see that. I am glad that all this unpleasantness will soon be behind us," Dumbledore said handing Lucius back the will.

"Good now I actually have some normal business involving school policy," Lucius informed.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry quietly walked out of Dumbledores' office with his soon to be guardian. He glanced up at the man who was looking distractedly down the hallway. He had absolutely no idea what to say to him. Harry couldn't help but feel like this man had saved his life. Snape had taken him from his relatives and brought him to this magical world where he was able to learn and make friends. He had given Harry a completely new life. Harry smiled and allowed himself to have hope that everything was going to be fine from now on.

"Thank you," he said quietly. Snape turned to him.

"For what?"

"Ever since you've picked me up things have been turning out very well. You've done a lot for me and I wanted to thank you," Harry said suddenly feeling shy under Snapes gaze.

"You have nothing more to worry about," Snape said stopping in front of Harry. "I'll be taking care of you from now on. I'll be sure to give you a much better life than you had before and soon your life with those people will seem like a bad dream," he promised.

Harry felt like he was going to cry he was so happy.

"But since we are still at Hogwarts I want you to treat me as you would your other teachers just like I will treat you the same."

Harry nodded his understanding but there was something he didn't understand.

"Professor, did something happen to Mr. Malfoy," he asked.

"Well his wife seems to be spending more time at home recently but other than that I can't think of anything else," Snape asked looking a little confused at the change in subject.

"He just seemed a little distant. It wasn't like how he was when I met him," Harry said thinking back to the first time he had met the man. He hadn't even known Harry but he seemed so concerned for him. It was nothing like the cold man in Dumbledores' office.

"Oh that. Now there's something you need to understand Harry," Snape said looking somewhat sad. Harry leaned in to understand. "You've heard people call Mr. Malfoy lord right?"

Harry nodded.

"Well, the Malfoys are considered to be one of the wealthiest and influential families in the wizarding world. As a result they are expected to act a certain way in public. As a result, since Mr. Malfoy was a child his father would punish him if he did anything he considered undignified. So now every time he's in public or around people he's not comfortable with he puts on what we call his 'Malfoy mask' and adopts the personality you saw today."

Harry suddenly felt very sad for the man. He now understood why Mr. Malfoy had acted oddly eccentric when they were at his manor. He must be tired from having to pretend to be someone he's not so his house must be a sanctuary for him.

"Don't feel too bad for him. It's sometimes useful because a lot of people think he's intimidating and it helps him with his business."

"I guess but it still must be hard for him," Harry muttered.

"Yes, I could tell he was feeling guilty for how he had to act towards you. I'm sure there's a tight hug in your future," Snape drawled.

Harry burst out laughing.

"Harry?"

Harry and Snape both turned around to see Ron and Hermione run up to them.

"Hello Professor, we were just waiting for Harry," Hermione explained. Snape nodded and turned to leave.

"See you in class Potter," he said before walking away down the hallway.

"What was that about," Ron asked glaring at Snapes' retreating form.

"Harry, is there something between you and Professor Snape," Hermione asked. "You seemed awfully upset about what we were telling you about him."

Harry sighed heavily and looked at his best friends. Not only were they his best friends but they were his first friends and from what he had heard, friends weren't supposed to keep secrets from each other. He looked around before pulling his friends into an abandoned classroom.

"Okay, I want to tell you guys something but please keep it between us," he pleaded.

"Of course Harry, you can trust us with anything," Hermione encouraged.

"Yeah mate, we're here for you," Ron added.

Harry told his friends everything. Hermione had pulled him into a tight hug when he told them about his aunt and uncles' treatment of him. Ron looked slightly disturbed when Harry told them about how it was Snape who had picked him up and how he had spent the few days before school with him and the Malfoys. Harry finally ended with the meeting where he had found out that he would be living with the potions master.

"Bloody hell," Ron mumbled.

"I see. That's why you were so upset with us earlier. You trust Snape a lot don't you," Hermione said softly. Harry nodded. "I see. Then I guess we were wrong but we still need to be careful. Someone did still jinx your broom."

"It was probably just a slytherin upset because Harry was going to catch the snitch," Ron guessed.

"Okay but I'm still keeping an eye out," Hermione said before exiting the old classroom. Harry smiled as he followed his friends to their common room. His life had really turned around in the last few months. He was now going to have a new home where he was accepted. His friends supported him and he had a guardian who would actually take care of him. Perhaps his life was starting to turn around.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: Ok, I would like to remind everyone that this is a romantic Snarry fic. It is just a little slow paced. Also, in case anyone is starting to get a little worried, I'm not going to rewrite every Harry Potter book like this one mainly because if I did, it would take forever to get to the good smexy stuff you're all waiting for. Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me.**

**Thank you guys soo much for the awesome reviews. I've decided to answer a few of them before this chapter. **

**Lulu50000: I agree it would be weird if the romantic relationship started too young. Harry will be older when all the romance starts. Severus is not a pedo in this story.**

**Goddessonmyknees: Lol. I'm sorry but this is not a threeway Sev/Har/Luc story. But don't worry, Lucius won't be left out. He'll find true love by the time I finish this story**

**SevLoverKat: I promise the hat will be avenged but I don't want to give away too much on whether or not Harry will be resorted.**

**RRW: At this point in the story Lucius is a little preoccupied with other matters but Sirius will not be forgotten for long.**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

For the first time in his life, Harry was actually excited for Christmas. It had been a little sad to say goodbye to Draco and Hermione as they left to spend the holidays with their parents but at least he wasn't alone. Ron was staying behind as well since his parents had decided to go to Romania to visit his brother Charlie. Harry had been a little confused as to why they would not have taken their other children with them but just shrugged it off. He had felt sorry for Draco though because it seemed his friend wasn't looking forward to the holidays as much as he was.

"I don't understand, aren't you spending it with your parents," Harry asked. He had often wished he could spend the holidays with his own parents.

"Exactly, my mother's going to be there," Draco sighed kicking the snow. They were taking a walk around the grounds together after finishing their homework one weekend.

"What's wrong with your mom," Harry asked remembering how Snape had mentioned that her presence had been bothering Mr. Malfoy.

"She doesn't care about anything but herself. She's always saying mean things about other people and looking down on them. Meals are always so awkward and tense when she's with us," Draco complained. "She's always screaming at the house elves or my dad. She sometimes gets to the point where she throws things."

"That sounds horrible," Harry said. He hadn't realized how bad his friend had it. It seemed he wasn't the only one with the horrible childhood.

"The worst part is, I know she doesn't like me," Draco confessed. "I found out that after I was born she never even held me until I was two and only because it was at a party and she wanted to look good. My father was the one who raised me."

"Draco," Harry said sadly putting an arm around his friends shoulder. Draco gave him a happy grin. Harry was surprised that he didn't seem sad at all.

"Actually I'm okay with it. I'll tell you why but you have to promise not to tell," Draco smiled lowering his voice.

"I promise."

"I don't think of her as my mother. Ever since I was little I've pretended that Father was actually my mother."

Harry was shocked and Draco laughed at his face.

"I know he wouldn't mind but for now I'm keeping it to myself," Draco explained.

Harry laughed and shook his head at his friends' antics. He had to admit Mr. Malfoy did seem like the mothering type.

Harry had spent the days leading up to Christmas with Ron and his twin brothers Fred and George. They would play chess and fool around. Sometimes he would meet Snape in his private rooms and have conversations over tea. This had been the best holiday break Harry had ever had.

Christmas morning Harry had woken up to Ron calling his name. He jumped out of bed and hurried to the common room. Ron was sitting there with the twins and Percy. He noticed that all of them were wearing knitted sweaters with their first initials on them.

"What are you guys wearing," he asked.

"Oh our mom made them. She knits us all something every year," Ron explained.

"It's tradition," the twins said in unison.

"Aren't you going to open your presents Harry," Percy asked.

Harry was stunned. This had never happened before.

"I've got presents?"

"Of course," Ron answered. "Looks like you have a few, there over there in a pile."

Harry looked over to see three packages sitting right there for him. He rushed over and grabbed the first one. He read the note and frowned in confusion.

"Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time now that I pass it onto you. Use it well," he read out loud.

"What is it," Ron asked curiously. Harry unwrapped the present to find a soft silky material inside.

"It's some kind of cloak."

"Well Harry try it on," one of the twins suggested.

"Model for us," the other twin added.

Harry draped his fathers' old cloak around himself. Everyone in the room looked at him in shock. Percy, who hadn't really been paying any attention, looked up at him and nearly fell out of his chair. Harry looked down to find that he could not see the cloak or even his body.

"My bodies gone," he cried.

"That's an invisibility cloak," Ron said in awe.

"Wicked," the twins said together.

"Harry you are not allowed to let the twins borrow that," Percy said sternly. The twins rolled their eyes at their brother.

"We wouldn't ask to borrow it," one twin started.

"That would make things too easy."

"We like a challenge."

"Who gave it to you," Ron asked.

"It doesn't say," Harry said folding up the precious cloak.

Harry grabbed the next present. He silently read the note this time.

_Harry,_

_I just want to congratulate you on making Gryffindor and I would like to wish you a merry Christmas. Hopefully next year you and Severus can spend the holidays with us. Oh,and don't feel shy about sending me letters. I would love to hear from you. Study hard and have fun!_

_Lucius Malfoy_

Harry was stunned at first then smiled. He hadn't expected Mr. Malfoy to give him anything. He opened the box and smiled at the collection of sweets the man had packed inside. It was literally filled to that every inch of space was filled by some kind of tasty treat. Harry briefly wondered if Mr. Malfoy had ever played tetris before. Harry noticed that Ron was already eyeing it. He closed up the box and placed it protectively behind him and away from his drooling friend.

The last present caught his eye. It was wrapped in dark green wrapping paper and it had a note with it like the others. He heard Ron start arguing with the twins about something but he didn't really pay attention. The note was short and simple.

_Harry,_

_Merry Christmas_

_Severus Snape_

Harry smiled to himself. It was typical Snape. He was never one for words. He unwrapped the gift to find a large red book. On the front it read, "Family Memories." Harry opened it up to see moving pictures inside. It was a photo album. He looked down to see his parents smiling up at him holding a baby version of him. Harry flipped through it and found wedding pictures and even pictures from when his parents had went to school. Below each picture there was a caption that would give a brief description of the picture. Harry stopped at a page with two large pictures on each side. On one side was his father and four other people all standing together in their school uniforms. The caption read, "_Start of sixth year at platform 9 ¾. Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew." _These seemed to be his fathers close friends. On the other side He saw a child version of his mother smiling next to a boy with shoulder length black hair. The boy was smirking as he had his hand protectively on his mothers' little shoulder. The caption read, "_Start of first year at platform 9 ¾. LilyEvans and Severus Snape."_

Harry could feel tears stinging his eyes. This gift was perfect. He now felt a little closer to his parents. They didn't seem like his aunt and uncle. They looked kind and happy. He loved the picture with them holding him because he could see that they had truly loved him before he died. Harry flipped through the book and noticed that it wasn't completely filled. He stopped at the last picture and felt his chest tighten.

It was the picture Mr. Malfoy had Dobby take the day they went to the train station. Harry and Draco stood together smiling with their Hogwarts trunks and Mr. Malfoy and Snape were standing behind them as well. Mr. Malfoy had a big grin on his face and Snape was rolling his eyes at his friend. Harry stared down at the picture. It looked like a family photo.

"Harry, I'm going down to breakfast," Ron announced.

"I'll be there in a minute," Harry answered not even looking up from the picture.

"Wow," two voices said in unison.

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin. He hadn't noticed the twins looking over his shoulders on both sides.

"Ron told us that Snape was the one to take you to the train station," one of them said.

"But he didn't say you went with the Malfoys as well."

"I don't think I've ever seen a Malfoy smile," the twins finished together.

Harry shut the book and gathered his things so he could take them to his room. It wasn't a secret there was some kind of family feud between the Malfoys and the Weasleys. He didn't want to give the twins anything they could hold against Draco.

"Do they smile a lot when no one's looking," one twin asked before Harry left the room.

"We're just curious, we won't tell anyone."

Harry looked at them over his shoulder. They seemed to be genuinely curious.

"They smile and laugh just like everyone else," he answered them.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Severus had not been surprised when Harry had come to visit him right after breakfast Christmas morning. He was carrying the photo album Severus had given him. He quickly led the boy to his private rooms so they could sit comfortably and chat. Normally there were barriers that wouldn't let any student enter a teachers' private area for obvious reasons but since the school recognized Severus as Harry's legal guardian, it lifted the barrier so that he would be able to come and go as he pleased.

Harry plopped himself down on Severus' couch and put the photo album on the coffee table. Severus couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. He wasn't used to the whole family during the holidays thing. Since being on his own he had usually spent them alone. When he was young he would usually send it with his mother until the afternoon when his father would finally wake up and verbally abuse the both of them.

"Merry Christmas Professor," Harry said brightly.

"Merry Christmas," Severus returned sitting down on the couch next to him.

"Thank you for the gift. I'm sorry I didn't get you anything," Harry apologized.

"Nonsense, you're just a child. You're not expected to give gifts just receive them and smile cheerfully," Severus said dismissively. "I'm glad you like it."

"Oh yes, I've only ever seen a picture of my parents once before my aunt burned it," Harry admitted.

"I figured as much," Severus sighed. Petunia was always such a petty girl.

"Um, I noticed you added this one," Harry said opening the book up. He flipped through the pages and stopped on the last one. Severus chuckled.

"Truth be told I had Lucius help getting some of the photos. I hadn't noticed he added that one."

"It looks like a family photo," Harry said quietly.

"I'd rather you not say that."

"Oh I'm sorry," Harry said quickly jumping a little.

"No you're right it does but Lucius had noticed that too and teased me mercilessly about it," Severus explained calming the boy. He thought back on how Lucius had teased him about how it looked like they were parents together and even as far as to call him his little Sevypoo. Severus couldn't help but grimace at the memory. As much as he loved Lucius it was purely a familial thing. Lucius had been like a brother to him since they met at Hogwarts. Severus shook himself out of his thoughts and turned his attention back to Harry. He was looking up at Severus, seemingly unsure of himself.

"You know, Lucius and Draco accept me as family even though I am not related to them. I think what Lucius is telling you by putting that photo in your family album is that he has already accepted you as his family as well."

"His family," Harry asked in a voice so quiet Severus had almost not heard him.

"Of course, Lucius is my brother in all but blood. His family is my family and vice versa. Since I am now your guardian it is only natural that you are a part of their family as well," Severus explained simply.

Harry looked back down at the picture and gently touched it.

"I've never had that before. When I was with my aunt and uncle I knew we were related but I never felt like we were family," He said quietly. Severus' chest tightened. He watched as a single tear slip down Harry's cheek. A small smile spread across the boys' face. "I have a family now."

Severus couldn't take it anymore. He did something he hadn't willingly done since Lily died. He wrapped his arms around Harry and pulled the small boy into a hug. The boy was still at first but then he relaxed and started to sob. Severus held the boy for what seemed like hours as he finally gave into his sadness and cried out all the pains and hurt of his childhood. He comfortingly rubbed the boys back ignoring his now wet shoulder. This was probably this first time Harry had let himself cry about it for years. Severus didn't dare release his hold on the boy until he had fully relaxed and stopped crying.

"I'm sorry," Harry murmured wiping his eyes. Severus summoned a box of tissues for him.

"There is no need for apologies. I'm glad you finally got it out," Severus dismissed casting a drying spell on his shoulder. Harry gave him a smile and everything fell into an awkward silence. "So, how are your studies going in your other classes?"

Severus wanted to change the subject to something less depressing. It was Christmas after all.

"Mostly good but I hate DADA," Harry admitted. Severus nodded.

"Understandable, even if no one wants to say it Quirrell is hard to follow sometimes with his stutter. I'm surprised his spells work correctly," Severus wondered. A lot of spells needed to be pronounced correctly in order to be cast and it was a little weird that they weren't affected by the stutter. "You'll just need to rely on your textbook more."

"Oh no that's fine it's just that," Harry stopped looking unsure of himself. Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," he prodded.

"Whenever I'm in his class my scar hurts," Harry admitted.

Severus was taken aback. Harry's scar was created by the killing curse from You Know Who, for it to react like that, it must have something to do with dark magic.

"Does it only hurt in his class," he asked trying to sound casual.

"From time to time it will sting a little but not as much as it does in his class," Harry answered. "I think it's a warning. My scar never hurt like this before I came here."

Severus was so going to have a talk with Dumbledore. As much as he hated informing the thought of telling the old coot anything about Harry, this could become dangerous. He already knew that something was off about the man but know it seemed Quirrell was hiding something other than a fascination with getting to the Mirror of Erised.

"Don't worry about that stuff," Severus said turning his attention back to Harry. "Just have fun with your friends and don't neglect your studies."

Harry just nodded. They spent the rest of Harry's visit having light conversation about quidditch and Severus answered a few questions Harry had on potions. Harry eventually left holding his photo album close to his chest.

"Thank you professor, for everything," Harry said before exiting Severus' private chambers.

"Just don't tell anyone. Wouldn't want the other students to think their evil potions professor has a soft side," Severus said sternly but couldn't stop a faint smile from appearing on his face. Harry laughed as he left. Severus allowed himself a few seconds to feel a little peace before he got serious again. Dumbledore never listened to anyone who tried to talk with him about serious matters on Christmas. He said that just because they were all still technically at work didn't mean they had to act like. Severus sighed. He was going to have to wait till tomorrow to talk to him about the Quirrell issue.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Lucius walked back to his room. Today had been exhausting. Narcissa had done nothing but point out all the things either she didn't agree with or was slightly out of place. She nearly flew into a rage when Draco had come down to breakfast in a blue sweater and light blue jeans. She said they were too muggle and pulled Draco back to his room and to his closet where she proceeded to throw out anything she deemed 'too muggle looking'. Draco had been forced to where a formal suit for the rest of the day. Lucius had tried to persuade his wife to letting him keep the clothes if Draco promised to only wear them in the manor but it was useless. Later she had criticized Lucius' choice in presents for their son. Lucius chose to ignore her that time since he knew Draco loved everything he had gotten from him.

Narcissa had always been obsessed with blood purity and would often fly into a rage if Lucius or Draco did anything she disapproved of. Lucius had often contemplated slapping the women but he knew what would happen. She would go straight to the ministry and report him for spousal abuse. Lucius hated this. He felt trapped within his marriage. He used to wish that he had just disowned himself and ran away. He would have gotten a nice lover and wouldn't have to deal with Narcissas shit but he no longer regretted marrying her. If he hadn't he would have never had Draco. All his pain and hardships from his marriage was well worth it for it had given him an amazing son. Lucius sighed again as he opened the door to his room. Draco didn't deserve this. He deserved a real mother but Lucius knew he would never get it. Even if he divorced Narcissa there was no way he would marry another women. Marrying her had successfully turned Lucius from bi to full out gay. Lucius briefly wondered if Draco would feel weird thinking of a guy as his mother.

"There you are."

Lucius rolled his eyes and turned to face his wife. She looked livid. What the hell had pissed her off this time?

"How dare you! Did you think I wouldn't find out," Narcissa demanded entering his room.

"What are you talking about," Lucius asked genuinely confused.

"I found the picture. How dare you bring such filth into my house? Near my son," she screeched.

"Narcissa, I have no idea what you're talking about. I have never brought anything dangerous near Draco," Lucius explained still trying to think about what she was talking about. Pictures? Did he have a stash of porn he had forgotten about?

Narcissa pulled out a handful of pictures and through them at him. Lucius caught two of them and studied the source of his wife's' latest freak out. He recognized the pictures he had taken of Draco and Harry the day they left for school. He had taken a bunch when they weren't looking. He liked pictures without stiff poses and forced smiles. Lucius cursed to himself. He may have been a spy for the light during the You Know Who days but his wife was a true follower. Unfortunately she hadn't been marked so he couldn't prove it. Of course she would freak out if she found out the one who defeated her master had been in her house.

"Severus was in charge of taking him to the train station so we all went together. There is nothing wrong with it," Lucius stated calmly. He decided to leave out the part where they had stayed the night twice as well. "You weren't here so I don't see the problem."

"You don't see the problem with the person who made our lord disappear strutting through home! He's a filthy mudblood just like his mother and Severus is no better. I forbid you from ever letting them dirty my manor again," Narcissa yelled. Lucius literally felt his patience snap.

"Who do you think you are women," he said in a low tone that caused Narcissa to instantly go quiet. "I am the head of this family. You have no right to give me orders and another thing, that thing was never my master. My father may have supported him but I saw him for the monster he truly was. If he had been allowed to live he would have brought the wizarding world to ruin."

Narcissa stood there looking stunned. Unfortunately it didn't last.

"I will not allow that killer near my son," she said in a low tone as she glared at him. Lucius decided to go with a different tactic.

"Narcissa dear, can you tell me when Draco's birthday is?"

"Excuse me," Narcissa asked looking more than a little confused.

"Since you care so much about our son you should be able to answer this simple question right," Lucius reasoned calmly. "When…is Draco's birthday."

Narcissa was quiet for a long time. Lucius kept his face blank as he waited for her to answer.

"March-"

"It's June fifth you bitch! If you hate Harry Potter because of what he did to your precious 'lord' then just say it but don't you dare say it's because you're protecting Draco. You don't give a shit about our son," Lucius raged. Narcissa glared at him.

"He's still my son and I will not have him be friendly with that mudblood," she said turning on her heels and exiting the room. Lucius waited until she was long gone before he shut his door.

"Dobby," he called. He heard the pop behind him.

"Yes sir what can Dobby do for master," the little elf asked.

"Keep an eye on my wife. She's going to want to talk to Draco alone. If things get violent in any way I want you to inform me right away and I'm not just talking about physically I mean the second she raises her voice I want you to get me no matter where I am or what I'm doing," he ordered.

"Yes sir," Dobby said before disappearing again.

Lucius plopped down on his bed not even bothering to change.

"Merry Christmas," he mumbled before passing out.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**Oooh drama! Guess what's in the next chapter? More drama! Severus talks with Dumbledore and Draco has a painful confrontation with his mother. Meanwhile Harry continues to have a peaceful holiday break. Unfortunately you guys will have to wait until next week since I am drowning in class assignments. Hopefully I'll have most of them done by then. TTFN!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Or his friends. Or his enemies. Or the many other random people he met during his adventures. Or Hogwarts. Or the ministry. **

**AN: Wow that took a long time. Working full time while going to school full time is NOT easy. Luckily my boss doesn't care if I do homework at my desk during the weekends(As long as I still get my work done of course). Anyways I finally found the time to write. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Severus calmly sat down in his couch. He looked down at the tea he had just made and fingered the cup. The warmness of it soothed him. He brought the cup to his lips and took a gentle sip. To anyone who didn't know better, Severus probably looked peaceful. In truth, he was so frustrated he had literally gone full circle. Severus hoped the tea would calm himself down enough for him to think properly about his latest meeting with the headmaster. He had hoped the man would have at least looked into the Quirrell situation but it seems his concerns fell upon deaf ears.

"Headmaster, I need to talk to you about one of the faculty," Severus said as soon as he entered Dumbledore's office. The headmaster looked up from his paperwork.

"Severus I'm concerned about you. You never relax during the school breaks. Everything's business with you. Lemon drop," the man offered.

"No thank you, and I can assure you I relax well enough but I can no longer ignore this," Severus declined.

"Very well, which of my staff members is giving you trouble?"

Severus didn't even bother commenting that they were technically the schools staff members not his.

"Professor Quirrell, did you know that man's been trying to break into the third floor corridor? I don't think I need to tell you why that should be something of a concern," Severus explained.

Dumbledore furrowed his brows. Severus relaxed a little. At least the man seemed to be taking it seriously.

"Okay, I shall have a talk with him. You're free to go," Dumbledore finally said making a shooing motion with his hand. Severus didn't move. He was floored.

"That's it? You're just going to talk to him? Don't you remember what's down there? Don't you realize what will happen if the wrong people get their hands on it," Severus asked feeling his face get hot.

"I am well aware Severus. I'm sure the man is just suffering from curiosity. He is aware of the over the top security in the corridor it is only natural he would want to know what we are protecting," Dumbledore explained calmly.

"You're actually going to tell him what's down there," Severus asked. How idiotic could this man be?

"Of course not, I was just going to explain the mirror of erised. He won't go down there just for an artifact that often causes men to go mad. It will explain our secrecy and safety precautions and extinguish any curiosity the man has," Dumbledore explained.

"You don't understand," Severus yelled slamming his hands on the desk.

"You will calm yourself professor," Dumbledore said in a low voice. "You will remember who you are talking to."

Severus sighed. He had to calm down, this lunatic was his boss after all.

"Now Severus, what was it I don't understand."

"I believe Quirrell is a follower of the dark lord," Severus announced after a few more calming breaths.

"As were you Severus," Dumbledore reminded. All of Severus' earlier efforts to calm himself were ruined with that one sentence.

"I was never a true follower and you know it. Lucius and I risked our lives to bring the light as much information as we could. I'm telling you, I believe Quirrell is a current follower of You Know Who," Severus growled. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"That is impossible. He doesn't have the mark and if he was you would have noticed when I hired him."

"I did tell you there were too many holes in his past when he first came here. I told you it was suspicious but you said I was being paranoid," Severus pointed out. "As for me not recognizing him, there was a close follower of the dark lord who worked as a spy so he wasn't marked. He would floo directly into the dark lords' office so no one other than the dark lord himself knew who he was. I believe I mentioned this to you during the war."

"And why are you so convinced that poor Quirrell is this dangerous spy? Being curious of the third floor corridor is no grounds to accuse the man of anything."

Severus had predicted Dumbledore would ask this.

"I had a talk with my ward young Potter. He mentioned that he had a hard time concentrating in Quirrells' class because his scar would hurt," he explained.

"I don't understand," Dumbledore said looking confused.

"You don't think it's odd that that Harry's scar, a product of the dark lords' own curse, would start to hurt only in the presence of that man? Harry told me it had never hurt him before and now it only really hurts in that class," Severus explained.

Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a while. Severus waited patiently. He hadn't really wanted to tell Dumbledore yet another piece of information about Harry's life but it was unavoidable. It was more important to get rid of Quirrell. There was not a doubt in Severus' mind that Quirrell was up to no good. That whole poor stuttering, clumsy façade was clearly a fake. He noticed Dumbledore's face become grave. Maybe he had finally faced the truth and would look into the situation.

"This is very sad," Dumbledore sighed. Severus became very confused. "Harry had been so starved for loving and caring attention with his old relatives he must be desperate to get your attention."

"Excuse me," Severus asked. What was this man talking about?

"You must be patient with him Severus. He probably didn't mean to lie. You must spend more time with him so he feels loved. As his new guardian you must watch over him until he knows he doesn't have to go to such lengths to get our attention."

Severus was too stunned at first to even feel the rage from Dumbledore's words.

"Are you accusing Harry of lying for attention?! How dare you! You don't even know the boy and you think you can make such accusations about his motives? He doesn't want attention he just wants to be normal," Severus screeched.

"You will calm yourself," Dumbledore commanded. "Now this is the last time we will discuss this lunacy. Quirrell is not a deatheater and you best keep your attention on your job and new ward!"

"Headmaster."

"I SAID WE'RE DONE HERE," Dumbledore yelled. Severus grew quiet. "You are excused."

Severus walked out of the office and silently made his way to his rooms. He didn't even look at the people he passed in the halls.

He hadn't even made a sound as he entered his sanctuary and made himself some tea and that was where he was now, sitting on his couch staring blankly into his magically lit fireplace. How could Dumbledore just dismiss everything he said? Even to go as far as to accuse Harry of lying for attention. Severus agreed that Harry did seem to draw attention to himself wherever he went but anyone could see that it was all unintentional. Severus glared down at his teacup. Quirrell was hiding something. Even if it wasn't necessarily related to the dark lord it was still a serious issue. There was something dangerous about him and Severus wouldn't rest until the man was out of Hogwarts and away from his students. Severus couldn't help but smirk as he thought of how shocked his students would be if they found out the most hated professor in all of Hogwarts actually cared for them. Severus' thoughts went back to Dumbledore. The man was almost being reckless with his actions. Severus normally wouldn't care but this time he was gambling with students' lives.

Severus sighed and gulped down the rest of his tea then placed the cup on the table. He leaned back into the soft cushions of his couch. He listened to the crackling of the fire. He had to do something, but for now, he just needed to relax. Perhaps he would brew a few potions for the hospital wing.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Draco wasn't really paying attention as he walked back to his room. He was too tired. He already had on his pajamas but had wanted to finish the book he was reading. He only had one chapter left and his mind wouldn't let him rest until he was done. Now he was satisfied he looked forward to just collapsing in his bed. Draco had been so lost in thought he didn't even noticed his mother standing in the hall waiting for him. He stopped short leaving a few feet of distance between them.

"Good evening mother. Was there something you wanted," he asked in a monotone voice. He hoped she was just stopping to say hi or something.

"Actually, I would like to talk to you about something," Narcissa said in a fake sweet voice.

_Damn it,_ Draco thought to himself.

"What is on your mind mother?"

"I'm afraid I found out that a certain Boy Who Lived was allowed to enter this house as I was gone and I would like to clear a few things up so you don't get confused," Narcissa explained with an odd look on her face. If Draco had to guess it was supposed to be a concerned expression.

"What do you mean," he asked.

"You're father seems to have his priorities mixed up at this time. He doesn't understand that as Malfoys we have to set an example. You see sweetie there are some wizarding families that are better than others. We wouldn't want to lower ourselves by making friends with the wrong sort now do we?"

Draco just looked at his mother. So that is what this was about. This was another 'what it means to be a pure blood speech.' He had heard many of them from her before, they were often long and filled with hatful words that he didn't always understand as a child. Afterwards, his father would take him aside and explain to him why the things his mother said were wrong. Draco often wondered why his father didn't simply correct his mother.

"Do you understand my son? As the future head of the Malfoy house it is your job to set an example to all the other pure blooded children. So that means you must promise me that you will no longer talk to that Potter boy," Narcissa finished. Draco stiffened. Not talk to Harry? He couldn't do that. Harry was his friend, they had gotten their first wands together, they shared their secrets with each other, they hung out all the time on the weekends. Harry was fun and nice. There was nothing wrong with being his friend.

"No," Draco mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"I said no. Harry's my friend. It doesn't matter what family he's from or if he's pure-blood or muggle-born, I don't care about that. Your birthright has nothing to do with who you are as a person," Draco said sternly.

"How dare you. Don't you disobey your mother," Narcissa growled.

"Are you my mother," Draco shot back. "You've never acted like it before so why now?"

"You are my son," Narcissa snapped.

"No I'm not! You have never called me your son unless you're introducing me to someone. What am I to you really? Just something you can sometimes use to your advantage," Draco asked. He had often wondered about his mothers' true feelings but Draco had never been brave enough to ask. For some reason he felt like this was the time to ask. He saw his Narcissa's face calm. She let out a sigh. Draco felt his chest lighten, perhaps she would tell him that she indeed loved him, but just didn't know how to express it.

"You should know Draco. I love you. As the first born you will always be my most prized possession. I will do whatever I can to protect you and teach you to be the perfect heir," she said stroking Draco's cheek. Draco shoved her hand away.

"Are you saying, I'm a thing to you? I'm not a possession. I'm a person. I have my own opinions and beliefs. You can't just make me into whatever you want me to be. Can't you just see me as I am? Can't you just love me for me and not what you want me to be," Draco begged feeling tears in his eyes. Narcissa's eyebrows furrowed. She stood up straight so she towered over Draco. Draco felt his chest ache. Narcissa looked down at him with a look that reminded Draco of a noble sending a prisoner to execution.

"How could I love a spineless worm that would lower himself to associating with filth? Now you will do as your mother says or so help me I swear you will regret it," she said in the coldest tone Draco had ever heard the woman use. Draco felt a shiver pass through him.

"Narcissa, did you just threaten our son?"

Draco looked over at his father. He couldn't stop himself from childishly running to the mans' side. He didn't care what that woman thought of him anymore. He buried his face into his fathers' robes.

"There's nothing wrong with punishing your child for disobedient," Narcissa explained coolly.

"There's a difference between parental scolding and dangerous threats. I suggest you go back to your rooms before this escalates," Lucius growled. Draco could feel his fathers' magic envelop him in a protective cocoon. It was warm and comforting. He didn't hear Narcissa say anything back but he heard her heels click against the black marble floor floors as she walked briskly away. After she was gone Draco felt his father start to stroke his hair.

"I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. Are you okay," he asked.

Draco pulled away and looked up at his father. Seeing the man's face full of love and concern Draco couldn't take it anymore. He started to cry. He felt himself begin to sob and instinctively wrap his arms around his fathers' neck. He had known that his mother didn't like him but she had never told him as such. To hear his mother tell him that she not only didn't like him but that she didn't even love him was heartbreaking. He clung to his father as he continued to cry.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Lucius gently picked up his sobbing son and carried him into his bedroom. He hated the sound of Draco's crying. Every time he heard it it felt like his insides were being torn up. Lucius quietly shut the bedroom door and walked over to Dracos' bed. He sat down on the large canopy bed and situated himself so that his back was against the headboard and Draco was lying in his lap. Lucius couldn't think of what to say to his son. He wanted to tell him that Narcissa hadn't meant what she said but he couldn't. There was no sense in lying to the boy now. Lucius stroked his sons' hair in an effort to calm him. He had never, under any circumstances liked Narcissa before, but now he knew that she was a true monster. How could anyone say something so cruel to their own child?

"It's not fair," Draco whispered after he had finally calmed down enough to talk. Lucius tightened his hold on his son.

"No, it's not," he agreed.

"Why did she have to be my mother," Draco asked looking up at him.

"As the heir to the Malfoy family, it was tradition to have an arranged marriage set up by my parents. I had no choice in the matter," Lucius explained bitterly. He knew it wasn't the answer the child wanted but it was the only one he had. Lucius looked down at Draco's face and couldn't take it anymore. His son, who was the most important person in his life, had a look of utter despair in his eyes. Lucius felt as if he had failed Draco. How could he have let Narcissa say such things to their son? He knew she was going to corner Draco into a fight, why hadn't he been keeping a closer eye on her? This whole thing was his fault.

"Dad?"

Lucius brought his hand up to his face and wiped off the wet feeling. He hadn't realized he had been crying. He quickly wiped away his tears. This was not the time for him to break down. This was about Draco, not him.

"I'm sorry," he said in a strained voice. "I wish I could wave my wand and change that beast into the mother you deserve but I can't. Draco, I want you to remember something."

Draco lifted his head up higher to listen.

"Whatever your mother says about you is wrong. You are the most brilliant and sweetest boy I have ever seen. No one could ever ask for a better son. Your mother is a miserable woman who is an idiot for not seeing it."

Draco was quiet for a while. He still had a sad look on his face but he had stopped crying and didn't seem as depressed. Lucius could have been imagining it but it seemed like his sons body was getting heavier as he laid there.

"She's not my mother," he mumbled quietly.

"Draco."

"No. If she doesn't want me then why should I want her? It's not like I need her anyways. I have you. I have Uncle Severus and Harry too. I have plenty of family around so I don't need her," Draco said confidently. Lucius couldn't help but smile. He pressed his lips to his sons forehead for a quick kiss.

"Yes, we are all here for you. Your family and friends will always be here for you," he assured. Draco nodded before he let out a yawn. Lucius chuckled. Now that he thought about it, it was passed the boys bedtime. He slid Draco onto his bed and got up.

"I think you've had enough excitement for one night. It's time for sleep," he said tucking him in. He hadn't done this since Draco was nine when the boy insisted he was too old for it. It felt nice to do it again.

"Dad," Draco asked.

"Yes?"

"Why don't you kick her out," he asked. He looked like he was trying to will his eyes to stay open. Lucius let out a sigh.

"Because if I do she'll probably demand custody of you. Being you mother she would most likely become your main guardian and I would only get to see you on the weekends. I…I don't know what would happen to you if that were to happen. I just need more time. Sooner or later she will do something that will prove her an unfit guardian and I can get full custody of you," Lucius explained putting a comforting hand on Dracos' shoulder. Draco nodded his head in understanding before finally allowing his eyes to close. Lucius stayed there until he was sure Draco was asleep. He looked so peaceful now. Lucius wished he always looked like this. This was why he never gave up. No matter what Narcissa did to him or what she said, he had to endure it all. He would bear it, to protect that expression on Draco's face. He wouldn't let Narcissa destroy it. Lucius bent down and kissed his sons' head.

"I won't let her hurt you again."

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: Well, there it was. Next chapter everyone comes back from break and continue the school year. Meanwhile Professor Quirrell comes up with an evil plan. Muahaha!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Me no own Harry Potter. **

**AN: Wow it was hard to start this chapter. I had absolutely no inspiration but when I finally started everything just came out nicely and now I'm back on track. Enjoy!**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

"I'm so sorry," Harry said sadly. He placed a hand on Draco's shoulder.

All the other students had come back from the holidays and Harry had been excited to see everyone again. Hermione was excited to talk about spending Christmas with her parents in the muggle world and everyone had been very interested. Many of the others had never heard about what muggles did on holidays. Harry already new about muggle holidays but he had never really experienced one. Normally he would spend it either in the cupboard or cooking the dinner and cleaning up the wrappers from Dudleys' presents. Hermione's' experience with her parents seemed a lot nicer. They had gone sledding and ice skating. They had hot chocolate and a big dinner on Christmas Eve. All in all, it sounded like Hermiones' holidays had been very traditional.

Draco's was another story. Harry had met up with him a few hours after everyone had arrived back. He was walking the grounds with a serious expression on his face. They walked over to a tree near the lake and stood next to it. After an hour of explaining everything that had happened over the holidays between him and his mother Harry couldn't think of anything to say to comfort his friend. Draco let out a sigh.

"I know I never really thought of her as my mother but it still was kind of a shock to hear her actually say it," he explained. Harry nodded silently wondering if he should give his friend a hug. He couldn't help but notice that Draco had started referring to his mother by her name as if she were a stranger.

"I know how you feel," Harry comforted. He thought back to his relatives. Like Draco's mom, they were also supposed to love Harry unconditionally because they were family but instead they hated him. Harry couldn't help but wonder if family ties had any real importance. He had heard on TV and even other people say that family was the most important because they would always be there for you, but from what he saw that really wasn't the case. From Harry's experience, blood ties seemed to be meaningless.

"Why doesn't your dad just get a divorce? It sounds like he wants to," Harry asked.

"He says that he doesn't want my mom to have any custody of me. He needs to have proof that she's unfit to take care of me," Draco explained. Harry frowned thoughtfully. An idea suddenly hit him.

"Why don't you just use your memories of when your mom said she didn't love you as evidence? Like when your dad used my memories of my relatives to prove they were abusing me," he suggested. Draco didn't look at Harry. He sighed and leaned against the tree.

"I've been thinking about that. I think my dad needs something that will prove that Narcissa is a physical danger to me. You see, if my father goes into any court room with things as they are they'll rule in favor of that woman no matter what she said to me," Draco explained bitterly.

"But I thought your father was an important man in the government. Why would the courts not believe him," Harry asked.

Draco seemed to consider his answer very carefully. The grounds seemed dead except for the two boys. It was as if they were alone in the world.

"Do you remember the story Professor Snape told you? About the dark lord that killed your parents," Draco finally asked. Harry nodded. "He had a group of loyal followers. They were called Death Eaters. My grandfather was one of them and later my father join them as well."

Harry leaned against the tree. Mr. Malfoy had worked for the man that killed his parents? That couldn't be true. He was a nice man who would never hurt other people.

"My father didn't want to join but my grandfather made him. My grandfather was a mean, selfish man who hurt and killed many people during that time. He turned the Malfoy's from being a well-respected family into something that is feared and looked down upon by light wizards. My father became a spy for the light side but now, even years later, people still see my father as a murderer. I once overheard Narcissa talking about it. She said that even though the Malfoys retained their power in the ministry, people will always look at my father with suspicion because he has the mark," Draco explained seriously. His face was tight and focused. He sounded years older than he actually was. Harry couldn't help but be a little relieved that Mr. Malfoy hadn't wanted to join the evil group.

"Mark?"

"The dark lord marked his followers with a magical mark that could never be removed as proof that they would always be loyal to him. It's kind of like a tattoo," Draco said looking off into the distance at nothing in particular. "Narcissa said that people trusted her because she didn't have the mark."

Draco shook his head and pushed himself away from the tree. He began to walk by the lake. Harry hurried after him. He hated to see him like this. He wanted to distract Draco from his problems. Even just for a little bit.

"I just don't know what to do. Because of my father's past people will be too biased to see Narcissa for the evil woman that she is," Draco muttered.

"It'll be okay. Your dad's really smart. He'll take care of everything," Harry assured.

"There's got to be something I can do," Draco insisted.

"Not while you're at school," Harry pointed out. "Just relax for a little bit. If you constantly think about it all you're going to do is give yourself a headache."

Draco nodded that he understood and let out a sigh. He was quiet for a little bit before he finally asked Harry how his holidays had gone. Harry told him all about the presents he had gotten. Draco had been more than interested when Harry mentioned his dads' cloak. Harry made him promise not to tell any of the teachers. He didn't know if they would want to confiscate it but didn't want to take the chance. Draco understood. Harry went on to talk about the snowball fights he had with the Weasley brothers. He explained how Fred and George had completely dominated him and Ron. Harry still thought it was unfair. The twins knew spells to magically make as many snowballs as the needed while him and Ron had to use their hands.

By the time Harry and Draco returned to the castle it was time to go to their dorms for the night. They each went their separate ways saying their goodnights. Harry decided he wanted to get a good night's rest before classes started the next day but he couldn't help but feel worried for his friend. He hoped Draco would be alright.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Severus took another drink of firewhisky. He sat in his barely used armchair. He wished he could sit down on his couch. It wasn't that the chair was uncomfortable, it's just that the couch was his favorite place to sit. It was in the center of the room and it was also in front of the fireplace. The armchair was off to the side and faced the portrait entrance to his private rooms. Yes, it was still in front of the fireplace but it didn't face it and the positioning of the chair made Severus feel like he had been placed in the corner. He glared at the reason he couldn't sit in his usual spot as it spread across the entire couch. Lucius laid on his stomach with his head facing Severus. He had already had a few shots of firewhisky himself.

The old friends had just finished explaining to each other what had happened to them over the holidays. Severus felt a rage in his heart when he heard what that bitch had said to his godson. He found himself contemplating how to make a potion that would suck the life from her without leaving a trace as to who gave it to her. Lucius had also been appalled by how Dumbledore had reacted to Severus' information about Quirrell's activities. He raged that he was showing blatant negligence. Lucius suggested that Severus filled out some forms that would show that he did warn the headmaster about his suspicions. That way if anything happened the ministry would have reason to investigate Dumbledore.

"I'll send you the proper papers tomorrow. As much as I hate to say it, this could be beneficial to us if something were to happen," he admitted. Severus didn't like it either but he had to agree. He just hoped that none of the students would be involved. Severus did a quick shake of his head. He didn't want to think about that again.

"So, do you have a plan for what you're going to do with Narcissa," he asked. The tearful kicked puppy expression Lucius gave him told him his answer.

"I came to you because I come up with all my best ideas when I talk them out with you," Lucius explained quietly.

"Yes, but that's with politics. With Narcissa you've never had a clue what to do. You usually come to me with some kind of idea and we just fine tune them," Severus pointed out. He realized too late that it probably wasn't the best thing to say. Lucius looked close to tears.

"It's just not fair. No matter what they'll always see me as a murdering Death Eater all because of this stupid mark," Lucius cried.

"Yes, it doesn't seem to matter how many people we saved with our spying. People can't see past our marks," Severus agreed bitterly. He hated the horrid thing. Every time he looked at it, it would remind him of the dark days when he spied on the dark lord. To maintain the man's trust he had to do horrible things. Lucius and him were forced to torture innocent people in order to please the madman. Sometimes Severus would still wake up to the screams.

"The worst part is that I don't think it would be a problem if we both had the mark," Lucius admitted. "As it is, they would only see a Death Eater and a mother fighting over a child. It doesn't matter what Narcissa said about not loving Draco. They'll just say that she said it in the heat of the moment and give her custody anyways."

Severus hated to admit it but Lucius was right. Narcissa was seen as innocent compared to Lucius. Then a thought hit him. The mark. It was a symbol of the Death Eaters loyalty to their master. Narcissa had been very faithful to the dark lord. She had prided herself in her services to him. She may not have been like her sister and become obsessed with him but she was still very loyal.

"Why didn't Narcissa have a mark," he asked out loud. Lucius sighed and collapsed onto the couch. He buried his face into the cushions.

"I don't know. She never spoke about it," he murmured.

"No I want you to think about it. Narcissa was just as loyal to the dark lord as her sister was. She was also very proud of her position in his inner circle. Why did she not have the symbol that would have proven her status?"

Lucius lifted his head and gave Severus a thoughtful look. He seemed to realize what Severus was getting at.

"You think she has one? But I've seen her forearm myself. There's nothing there. It was designed so that it could never be covered by magic. The aurors even ran test to see if she covered it up with muggle make-up. They didn't find anything," Lucius explained but Severus could still see he was thinking.

"Lucius, do you remember that American witch who joined the death eaters," he asked. Lucius nodded.

"Yes, wasn't her name Brittany Anderson," Lucius asked. He sat up and looked at Severus with curiosity and hope. He must have realized that he remembered something.

"She had a brief sexual relationship with the dark lord before he grew tired of her. I'm sure you recall that she was able to flee back to America after his downfall right?"

"Yes, I've always wondered how she did it. They were checking everyone leaving the country for marks and I know she had one. She wouldn't shut up about it the day she received it," Lucius recalled.

"Well, that's because everyone was only checking the forearms. One night after getting drunk Ms. Anderson told me that the dark lord had put the dark lord had put the mark on her inner thigh. She then proceeded to make an obscene joke about always feeling him between her legs," Severus remembered. He couldn't imagine why had had forgotten all about this piece of information until now. He probably just didn't want to remember what the obnoxious woman told him about an insane tyrants bed habits.

"Are you saying that Narcissa actually has a mark," Lucius asked looking at Severus as if he was a starving man and Severus was holding a sandwich. Severus nodded.

"I'm saying it's worth a shot, but you do know what this means right," Severus asked.

"What," Lucius asked cocking his head to the side.

"You're going to have to find a way to see your wife naked."

Severus spent the next half hour laughing at the look of horror and disgust on Lucius' face.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

The next few months passed peacefully. Harry continued to do well in his school work and spent much of his free time with his friends. He still didn't see Draco that much since he was in another house but that was fine. When he did see him they would often talk and make jokes. Harry was relieved that his friend was doing fine despite the drama of his home life. Harry did wish that Ron and Draco could get over the family feud so they could all hang out together. It wasn't so much Draco as it was Ron refusing to admit that Draco was really a nice guy. The twins however seemed to warm up to Draco and they would often talk about potions. At first Harry thought they were talking about their potion assignments but after a while he figured out that they were talking about potions that could be used in pranks.

Harry was happy when the cold weather started to warm up and the snow began to melt. He loved spring. He especially loved that first day where it was warm enough to go outside in a short sleeved shirt. The only thing that was really bothering Harry was his scar. It was not only hurting in DADA but it was not starting to hurt at random times throughout the day. He couldn't help but feel like something very bad was going to happen. Hermione tried to get him to go to the hospital wing to have him checked out. He refused since he knew it wouldn't help.

It was the weekend and there were only four weeks to the end of the school year. Harry happily walked down to his guardians' private quarters. Professor Snape had asked him to meet him after dinner. Harry couldn't help but be curious about what he wanted. He had never asked Harry to meet him in the evening since he didn't want Harry to be out after hours.

"Ah There you are. Sit down, I just need to finish grading this essay," Snape explained. Harry sat down next to him. He looked down to see the essays were covered in red marks from Snape's corrections. He held back a chuckle. The man was a perfectionist when it came to students essays.

"Harry I called you down here because I have some news," Snape started as he finished marking the essay in his hand.

"What is it?"

"Your aunt and uncles' trial ended and the judge gave his ruling."

Harry felt his chest tighten. He hadn't thought about what had happened to them. He had told Snape that he didn't want to have anything to do with the trial. His testimony was in his memories and that was all the court needed.

"Harry, do you want to know what the courts decided? You don't have to if you don't want to. The whole thing was carried out quietly so it won't be in the papers or anything," Snape said putting a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry thought about it then shook his head. He had to know. He didn't want to hide from it.

"What's going to happen to them?"

"The judge ruled that they will each spend thirty years in a medium security muggle prison for child negligence and abuse. Your cousin will be living with his aunt permanently. You won't have to see either of them again," Snape stated.

Harry almost cried. With this he was free. He would never have to spend another second with those hateful monsters. He was now going to live with a man who truly cared for him. Snape had done so many wonderful things for him. Harry could only wish that he could return the favor one day.

"I'm happy," was all Harry could say.

"It has also been made official that I am your new legal guardian. So instead of going home on the train with your friends when the term is over you will stay behind with me and we will go to my house. Unfortunately Draco's mother is still at their manor so we can't go there," Severus explained.

Harry felt a bit confused. He understood from what Draco told him that going to the manor when his mother was there wasn't a good idea but why did Snape not want to return to his house. Snape seemed to understand Harry's thinking because he went on to explain.

"I live in Spinners End. It was my family's home but it isn't exactly the warmest place. That's why I spend most of my time at Lucius' manor."

"I still don't understand. What's wrong with your house? Isn't it your home," Harry asked. Snape shook his head.

"Just because it's a house doesn't mean it's a home. Did you ever think of the house where you lived with your relatives as a home," Snape asked. Harry thought about it then shook his head. From what he knew a home was a place where you felt safe and warm. Harry felt neither of those things living in that place. "Once you see the house you'll understand."

Harry decided to take the man's word for it. He really didn't care about where they lived, as long as he would be safe and happy from now on and something told him that if he stayed with this potions master he would be. Harry and Snape didn't continue talking because soon the professor was escorting him to the door threatening to take points if he didn't get to his dorm before the curfew.

Harry started the walk feeling very happy with everything that was going on in his life. At first he didn't notice the ache in his scar. The further he walked the worse it got. Harry stopped and leaned against a pillar. He could barely see straight. He was starting to get sick to his stomach. There was no one else around to help him. He hoped that a prefect or maybe Snape would come by and help him. He slid down the pillar and collapsed on the floor. This was bad. He needed help. He felt like sobbing in relief when he heard footsteps approaching him. He turned his head to see who it was.

"Professor Quirrell. I need help. You need to take me to the hospital wing," he pleaded.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. I need you to come with me Potter," the professor explained pointing his wand at Harry.

There was a bright flash of light. Just before everything went black Harry wondered, "What happened to his stutter?"

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: Heehee. Cliffy. I hope you guys enjoyed that. Please review or else I will be sad. And no one likes it when I'm sad. Anyways, thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Okay, this is the last time I'm going to say this because you should all know by now that I do not own Harry Potter.**

**AN: And here it is, the longest chapter I have written. I just couldn't find the right place to stop. Just to let you guys know, my work schedule has changed so I'll probably be posting chapters on random days now instead of my normal Tuesdays. But I'm still going to try and post at least one chapter a week. Well enough talk I know you guys want to get right to reading. Enjoy!**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

The first thing Harry was aware of was a voice. It sounded so distant. He tried to sit up but his body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. After a while the voice became clearer. Harry opened his eyes and looked around. He was lying on the floor in the middle of a large, empty chamber. He noticed a large mirror in the center of the room. It looked incredibly heavy and expensive. Harry noticed Professor Quirrell was standing in front of the gaudy decoration. He seemed to be gazing at his reflection. He also seemed to be in the middle of a conversation. Harry was shocked that Quirrells' stutter seemed to have disappeared. Harry was so surprised he didn't notice the other voice that was answering Quirrell's comments at first. Once he noticed he looked around the chamber but didn't see anyone.

"Potter, I see you've awakened."

Quirrell turned to Harry and walked toward him. Harry wondered how he had gotten in this situation. He remembered he was on his way back from Snapes' personal rooms. He had just exited the dungeons when he started to feel sick. He remembered collapsing onto the floor. Then, Professor Quirrell…a light…then nothing.

"What did you do to me," Harry demanded.

"I merely knocked you out. I brought you here to do something for me," Quirrell answered.

"What are you talking about," Harry asked suspiciously.

"If you cooperate you will not be harmed. It's pretty simple. I need you to stand in front of that mirror," Quirrell instructed. He pointed at the mirror.

"That won't be enough," a disembodied voice hissed. _Where is that voice coming from_, Harry wondered.

"Master, I don't understand," Quirrell said looking confused.

"He needs to know what he's looking for. Tell him," the voice ordered.

"Looking for," Harry repeated. Quirrell nodded.

"Yes, Potter. In that mirror there is a magically hidden stone. The Mirror of Erised is a dangerous artifact that shows whoever looks into it what they would have if their life was truly perfect. It shows you your greatest desires. Many men have gone mad with desire looking into it," Quirrell explained.

"You… you want me to get a stone? Is there something special about it," Harry asked.

"The sorcerer's stone is used to create the elixir of life. I need it to restore my master and you are going to help me get it."

"Your master? Who's your master," Harry questioned. He had to stall. Someone would notice he was gone right? They'd search for him and hopefully find him before anything bad happened. Harry still wasn't sure what was going on but it seemed that Professor Quirrell was hiding a very dark side of him from the students and faculty. Speaking of the professor, it seemed that the man was determined not to let Harry stall a moment longer.

"Enough questions get over here now," he demanded.

"You can't make me," Harry yelled childishly.

"Oh, so you would rather your friends be left to starve," Quirrell asked with a smirk.

"What?"

Harry felt his chest tighten. He tried not to show the deranged man that he was scared. Harry tried not to show that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened to his friends because of him.

"I found your friends Ron and Hermione out looking for you and decided that they would make excellent hostages. They are safe for now but if you don't cooperate with me, Potter, I won't tell you where I've hidden them but if you follow along with me I will let you all go," Quirrell laughed.

Harry didn't even say anything. He walked forward and looked into the mirror. He still wasn't sure of how he was supposed to find the stone but he had to try. He needed to save his friends. He looked at his reflection. It seemed to be the same. It looked back at him and suddenly smiled. Harry was shocked to see his reflection moving on its own instead of staying still as he was. The reflection reached into its pocket and pulled out a dark, shiny stone. Harry's hand automatically went to his pocket and he felt something inside of it. He looked back at his reflection to see it wink at him.

"Well what is it? What do you see," Quirrell demanded shaking Harry out of his trance.

"I… I don't see a rock," he lied.

"He lies," the voice hissed.

"Tell the truth! What do you see," Quirrell yelled.

"Let me speak to him," the voice suggested. A worried expression came over Quirrells face.

"But master you are not strong enough," he said shakily.

"I have strength enough for this."

Quirrell reluctantly agreed and started unraveling his turban. Harry watched in fascination as the ribbon of cloth slowly unfurled itself revealing what was underneath. He almost collapsed in freight as a face was revealed on the back of the DADA professor's head. The face was fully formed with its own mouth and everything. It gave the term 'having eyes on the back of your head' a whole new meaning. Harry felt like he would never be able to look at turbans the same way again. Something like this must have been the work of dark magic. Harry could only guess the first dark wizard that came to mind.

"Voldemort?"

"Yes, you see what I've become. You see what I must do to survive. Live off another, a mere parasite. I need a body of my own. There is something that can help me do that. Something that conveniently enough, lies in your pocket," Voldemort revealed.

Harry couldn't let that man get the stone. He had to escape. Harry turned to leave but a ring of fire surrounded the room trapping him within it. Harry looked around for another escape route but there was nothing.

"Don't be a fool," Voldemort taunted. "Why suffer a horrific death, when you can join me and live?"

"Never," Harry cried. Voldemort burst out in laughter.

"Bravery, your parents had it too. Tell me, Harry, would you like to see your mother and father again. Together we can bring them back," Voldemort promised. "All I ask, is for something in return."

Harry stilled. His parents. Could he really bring them back? If he helped this man, could he really get back the family he had lost? Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the stone. He gazed down at it.

"That's it Harry. There is no good and evil. There is only power, and those too weak to seek it. Together, we'll do extraordinary things. Just give me the stone!"

Harry couldn't do it. He knew there was no way he could trust his parents' murderer. The things the man promised sounded wrong and clichéd.

"You liar," he accused.

"Kill him," Voldemort ordered.

Without so much as blinking, Quirrell held up his hand and flew towards Harry. He didn't have any time to react before he felt himself fall backwards with the man's hand clutching his neck. Gasping for breath, Harry noticed that he had dropped the stone. He desperately reached out for it, thinking that he could use it to bash Quirrell's head in. It was the only thing he could think of to get the man off him. Harry's head started to get fuzzy and he gave up on reaching the stone. All he could do was grasp at Quirrell's hand. He immediately heard a sizzling sound and the smell of something burning entered his nose. Quirrell screamed out in pain and released Harry. Harry was terrified to see that the man's hand seemed to be dissolving. Did he cause that by touching the man?

"What is this magic," Quirrell cried. He looked more scared than Harry.

"Fool! Get the stone," Voldemort yelled in response.

Quirrells face got serious again and he made a move towards the rock. Harry couldn't think of what to do. He reached up and pushed against Quirrell's face in an attempt to slow the man down. Quirrell let out another pained scream as his face began to dissolve where Harry touched it. Harry watched as his professors whole head turned to ash and his body crumble to the ground. All Harry could do was stare. He looked down at his hands. Had he just killed a man? He didn't mean to. He prayed that the ministry wouldn't put him in jail. Harry looked over at the discarded stone. He reached down and picked it up. Who knew that something so important was hidden within the school? Harry heard a strange sound behind him. He turned to see a floating cloud of dust behind him. Harry screamed as the cloud formed a face and lunged at him. It passed through him but at that moment it felt as if someone had cut open his head right where his scar was. Harry fell back onto the ground and everything went black again.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Lucius was combing through the family spell books looking for something he could use on Narcissa. Simple seduction was out of the question since she would probably see right through it. He needed a spell or a potion. Maybe he could induce a hot flash on the aging woman? That plan did have some promise to it but he wouldn't know how to go about it. He sure as hell wasn't going to wait for one. Lucius had nearly torn every book off the shelves in his family's private library. Finally, something caught his eye. It was a small book, easy to overlook but the title had caught his eye. He picked up the small black book looked through it. It took every ounce of his self-control not to laugh maniacally as a plan formed in his head. He was interrupted by one of the house elves bursting into the room.

"Master! Mincy is sorry to be bothering but there was an urgent fire call in your office for you from Hogwarts. It's Master Snape," Mincy cried.

Lucius tucked the book into his robes and took off for the fireplace in his office. Severus never used the word urgent unless it was something really important. Hell, he never fire called unless someone was dying. Merlin, he hoped that wasn't why he was calling. He rushed into his office and immediately bent down in front of the fireplace.

"What happened," he asked breathing heavily.

"Quirrell," was all Severus had to say.

"Stand back. I'm coming through," Lucius instructed.

The second he was standing Dumbledore's office he noticed that the old man wasn't there. No one was except for Severus.

"What happened," Lucius repeated. This time he wanted more of an explanation.

"Exactly what I said would happen. He broke into the chamber, dismantled all our protection spells, and found the Mirror of Erised," Severus raged. He was pacing the floor looking more pissed off than Lucius had ever seen him.

"But he didn't get the stone right? You said that there was a spell that made it so only someone who wanted to find the stone without using it could get it right," Lucius asked. Severus shook his head.

"Right, so that's why he decided to kidnap Harry and have him do it," Severus growled. Lucius felt his blood run cold.

"Oh god, please tell me he's alright," he begged.

"We found him unconscious, but otherwise fine, with the stone in his hand. It looks like Quirrell's dead," Severus finished. He stopped pacing and his voice turned deadly. "This is Dumbledore's fault."

"I agree. I have no idea what that man is thinking. He blatantly ignored the warnings and put a students' life in danger. _Harry's_ life!"

"I don't think that was his intention," a voice interrupted. Severus looked around. That had to be a portrait or something. No one was supposed to be in here. Dumbledore's presence was required in the third floor corridor so he wasn't going to be returning to his office anytime soon. Severus had snuck in to contact Lucius since the headmasters fireplace was the only one in the school that was connected to the floo system.

"Sorting hat," Lucius asked curiously looking up at the antique accessory.

"Yes. I'm not sure what's going on with that man but it seems he has plans for the Potter boy," the hat explained. It was kind of weird to see the hat talk without being on a students' head.

"What do you mean plans," Severus questioned.

"The only reason I'm telling you this is because I'm concerned and a little scared. He seems to be trying to control the boys' school life. He rigged the boys sorting to put him in Gryffindor and I believe I heard him mention something about having a spy updating him on Potters' activities," the hat informed.

Lucius was floored. He had never heard of someone rigging a sorting. On top of that he had someone spying on the boy? If Lucius didn't know any better he would say that Dumbledore was turning into a creeper.

"How did he rig the sorting," Severus pressed.

"I was threatened into doing it," the hat admitted.

"Severus, ignoring the spy, we have enough evidence to launch an investigation. During which I can get the signatures I need from the school board to sack the old wanker," Lucius said feeling excited.

"I would appreciate it if you left me out of all this. I would rather not go through another 'cleaning'," the hat commented then made a move that Lucius assumed was meant to be a shudder. Lucius couldn't help but wonder what the hat meant by 'cleaning'. Didn't they only dust the hat? What was so bad about that?

"We understand," Severus replied before grabbing Lucius by the arm and dragging him out of the office. Severus walked swiftly through the halls and Lucius had to practically jog to keep up with him.

"Where are we going first," Lucius asked. "Do you want to check out the chamber where the stone was hidden? Or do you want to go confront Dumbledore?"

"At the moment my top priority is the hospital wing where Harry is. I need to check up on him."

Lucius nodded. He wanted to see Harry as well. He hoped Harry would be okay. The boy had been through so much in his life and this was the last thing he needed. At least now he had Severus to help him through it all.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry hadn't woken yet. His still form seemed almost lifeless. Severus reached down to make sure the boy was still breathing. Feeling the warm breath on his palm he let out a sigh of relief. Poppy went over the Harry's injuries. It seemed the most damaged was his throat where he had apparently been strangled. She assured the two men that Harry would make a full recovery by the next morning. He just needed to rest. Severus listened carefully to everything she said. When she left he turned his full attention back onto his young charge. Even if he didn't see Harry as a son, and didn't think he ever would, the boy was still the most important thing in the world to him. Severus couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Perhaps if he had escorted Harry to his dormitories none of this would have happened. A firm hand on his shoulder shook Severus out of his thought.

"I know what you're thinking, but now isn't the time for that," Lucius admonished. Severus felt himself nod. There was no use in staring at the unconscious boy, wallowing in self-pity. He had to make sure this never happened again to him or any of the other students.

Severus marched to the chamber where Dumbledore, Minerva, and a few aurors were busy cleaning up and taking evidence of what happened. The headmaster saw them coming and gazed at Severus with a sad smile.

"Severus, don't be angry," Minerva said holding her hands up. She seemed to sense what was coming. "There was no way of preventing this. Professor Quirrell fooled us all."

"I'm sorry Minerva, but BULL SHIT," Severus practically yelled as he maneuvered his way past her to get closer to his boss. He heard her sputter several incoherent remarks. He pointed his finger in Dumbledore's face, not paying the surrounding aurors any mind.

"I told you! I warned you that Quirrell was a dark wizard. I told you that you needed to research into his past more and what did you do? Nothing! A student is in the hospital wing with wounds on his neck from being strangled and you have the gall to pretend that this whole thing wasn't your fault," Severus raged. He saw a sparkle in the old mans' eye that many would have mistaken for sadness but Severus, being a well-trained spy, recognized the mans' underlining expression. He was angry, but he wouldn't express it here.

"I'm sorry Severus, but you didn't have any proof that Quirrell was a death eater. Just a few of your own assumptions. You must understand I could not take any action on those," Dumbledore said sounding regretful. Severus had to admit that the man was a good actor.

"I didn't ask that you take action, I asked that you seriously looked over his files. As a headmaster you have every right to go through any of the faculties records. I bet if these aurors were to go through them they would find many holes in his history," Severus shot back.

"Headmaster Dumbledore," Lucius said professionally. Everyone turned their attention to him. "I'm afraid I have to inform you that Professor Snape, under my advice, had indeed filled an official report about his suspicions to the ministry and the Board of Governors, so we have evidence that you blatantly ignored his warnings which resulted in the injuring of one of the students. On top of that the fact that you hired such a dangerous and suspicious character to teach children shows a true lack in judgment. I'm afraid you leave me no choice but to order an investigation, during which you will be relieved of your duties."

There were a few voices of protest, mainly people saying that Lucius didn't have the authority to do such a thing. Severus sneered at them. Lucius just calmly raised his hand to silence everyone.

"I do realize that I will have to follow protocol. I will be calling an emergency meeting with the other board members to officially decide what we are going to do. I'm just telling you what the most likely outcome is," he said with a playful smirk. Severus couldn't help but feel that if Lucius wasn't bound by his title to act in a cold civil manner, he would have attacked the old headmaster with his bare hands.

The two men exited the chamber as swiftly as they had arrived. Lucius was quiet and had a thoughtful expression on his face. Severus knew he was forming a plan. Soon Lucius would have everything taken care of. Severus hadn't even realized they were walking back to the hospital wing until he was standing by Harry's bed. The boy was still eerily still as he slept. Severus decided to sit down in a chair beside the boy. Something told him he wasn't going to get any sleep if he went back to his rooms. Lucius sat down on the bed next to them. He was still quietly thinking to himself.

"I assume you two will be staying for a while? Do you want me to have a house elf bring you anything," Poppy asked.

"No thank you," Severus said politely waving her off. Without a single word, Lucius began to pull the sheets off the bed next to Harry's. He then sat down and started to make himself comfortable. Severus knew he was planning on sleeping here for the night.

"That's for injured and sick student, not pervert politicians," Severus muttered.

"What about a pervert politician _with_ a student?"

Severus punched Lucius' arm, who then fell off the bed and landed on the floor. He couldn't stop himself from chuckling at the sight of his friend sprawled out on the floor. Lucius sat up and pouted at him.

"There was no reason to get violent. I was obviously joking," he complained climbing back onto the bed. "Can't I just stay here tonight? In case something happens?"

"Don't you have a board meeting to arrange," Severus asked.

"I will get up extra early tomorrow to send the letters. I just want to be here for you," Lucius said cuddling up in the beds blankets.

"You just don't want to go home with Narcissa still there," Severus accused but he felt a small smile tug on his lips.

"That to but you know how important family is to me. If you feel you need to talk just wake me up. I promise I won't be cranky. Especially if you start crying while clutching my shoulders and burying your head into my chest," Lucius teased. "Just like when you were a first year and those mean Gryffindors were picking on you."

"I never did that," Severus snapped. Lucius just chuckled but otherwise ignored him.

"Wake me up the second you see the first sunrays," he requested before his breathing steadied and Severus assumed he fell fast asleep.

Severus leaned back with a long sigh. He hoped Harry woke up before he had to leave for class. He'd feel guilty leaving him otherwise.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry woke up to the sound of someone humming a happy tune that he did not recognize. His throat felt sore but otherwise he was okay. He opened his eyes saw that he was in the hospital wing. It was really bright so Harry had to guess it was morning. The sun always seemed brightest in the mornings. He looked around for the source of the tune and found Mr. Malfoy sitting in the bed next to him. He was using what Harry would describe as a lap table as a support as he was busily scribbling things down on some parchment. He seemed very interested in whatever he was writing and didn't notice that Harry was awake until he was done with his work. He folded up the parchment into a letter and magically produced wax to seal it. Harry didn't want to interrupt the man since whatever he was working on seemed to be important. The man jumped when he finally looked over and saw Harry watching him.

"Geez Harry, if you were awake you should have said something," Mr. Malfoy admonished.

"Sorry."

Harry's voice sounded a little scratchy.

"Does anything hurt," Mr. Malfoy asked.

"My throat feels a little sore," Harry admitted. "Wait, how did I get here? Where's Ron and Hermione?"

Harry felt a rush of panic when he had remembered what Quirrell had said the night before about leaving them to die. Mr. Malfoy gave him a confused look.

"Your friends are fine. They both came here to see you before their classes. Although I must say your friend Ronald could use a few lessons in etiquette. I didn't do a single thing to him and he still spent the entire time glaring at me," Mr. Malfoy grumbled. Harry felt himself relax. That meant Quirrell had been lying about taking them. He flinched when he felt a hand grab his. He looked up at Mr. Malfoy. The man had a concerned look on his face.

"Are you really okay? If you want to talk about what happened you can tell me. Or if it would make you more comfortable I can get Severus. He had to leave to teach his classes. He felt guilty about leaving you but Dumbledore said he had to. He said something about not mixing personal matters with work which is ridiculous because a lot of people are excused from work when their child is sick or hurt like this," Mr. Malfoy ranted. He stopped short and shook his head before turning his attention back to Harry.

"I'm not really his child," Harry pointed out.

"No but he is your guardian," Mr. Malfoy argued. "It doesn't matter. I'll just put that in my report as well. The point is I'm here for you until Severus comes back."

"You came here to keep me company," Harry asked. "You didn't have to do that."

Mr. Malfoy waved his hand.

"Nonsense, I couldn't have you wake up and not have anyone here. I've just been writing a few letters to the other Governors of the Board. We will be having an emergency meeting later today. Actually I've just finished the last one. Now that you are awake do you mind if I go send these off?"

"Not at all. Thank you for staying here with me," Harry said.

"Okay. I'll be right back. I'll tell Madam Pomfrey you're awake. She'll want to check up on you," Mr. Malfoy said standing up. He walked out of the room carrying his letters with him.

Madam Pomfrey was quick to check Harry over and tell him that he would be able to leave the hospital wing by noon since she wanted him to rest a bit more. Harry was a little annoyed since he felt fine but did as he was told. He didn't really get much rest because soon after she left the headmaster came in to see him. Professor Dumbledore asked Harry to describe what exactly had happened in that chamber. Harry told the headmaster everything since the man deserved to know what had happened to his teacher. Dumbledore listened to Harrys' story with a serious expression. After Harry had finished he could no longer hold in the question that plagued him.

"Am I going to be expelled," he asked. His question seemed to catch the headmaster off guard.

"My dear boy, why would you think that," he asked.

"I didn't mean to, but I killed Professor Quirrell. I committed a crime. What's going to happen to me?"

"Nothing, my boy. Quirrell was a dangerous man who had to be stopped. It is surprising that you managed to survive at all. We are all just happy you are safe and well," Dumbledore assured.

"Really," Harry asked hopefully.

"Harry, do you know why Quirrell couldn't bear to have you touch him," Dumbledore asked. Harry shook his head. "It was because of your mother. She sacrificed herself for you, and that kind of act leaves a mark."

Harry reached up to caress his scar.

"No, no. This kind of mark can't be seen. It lives in your very skin," Dumbledore said.

"What is it?"

"Love, Harry. Love."

Harry couldn't help but smile at the man. He was very kind to comfort him when he was feeling guilty. It made him feel better knowing that he hadn't really killed someone but he was still confused as to how love could kill someone. Dumbledore patted him on the head then stood up.

"Oh, Lucius, my boy. What are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting to arrange," Dumbledore said as Mr. Malfoy walked back in. Harry noticed that Mr. Malfoy tensed.

"I have already written and sent the letters," he answered.

"You really should inform me when you are here. It's inappropriate to have parents come and go as they please. Not to mention spending a suspicious amount of time alone with young students who aren't their relatives," Dumbledore said in a sweet voice.

Harry didn't really understand what Dumbledore had meant but he could tell Mr. Malfoy was furious. His face turned red and his body was stiff. He was like a looming statue in the doorway. Harry liked Dumbledore but he didn't think it was right for him to say things that would upset Mr. Malfoy.

"It is perfectly acceptable that a Governor of the Board visit the school and for your information I did check in with you yesterday when I arrived. It is also acceptable for me to be concerned about an injured student especially when the reason they are hurt is because of the negligence of the headmaster to properly investigate the backgrounds of the people they hire," Mr. Malfoy explained. His voice was like ice. "And I suggest, Headmaster, that you reframe from making such vile accusations in front of a student. It's inappropriate."

"Of course. Now if you boys will excuse me, I have some work to do," Dumbledore said walking nonchalantly passed Mr. Malfoy. Even when Dumbledore was out of sight, Mr. Malfoy still didn't move. Harry was confused as to what had just happened. He was worried for Mr. Malfoy. The man who was usually so calm and carefree now looked as dangerous as Voldemort himself.

"Are you okay," he asked. Mr. Malfoy shook his head and walked over to Harry's bed.

"Yes, I'm sorry you had to see that. I came to let you know that Severus was on his way to see you," he said changing the subject. Harry still wasn't convinced but he was happy at the thought of seeing Snape. Mr. Malfoy went on to tell Harry about all the students reactions when they learned of what happened to their DADA professor. Apparently they had already brought in a temporary substitute for the rest of the year. Harry then told Mr. Malfoy the same story he had just told Professor Dumbledore. The man was just as serious as the headmaster was as he listened. Harry had barely finished when Snape swept into the room. The man had a frantic look on his face.

"Harry! Are you okay? Is anything sore," he asked physically checking him over. Harry laughed for the first time since the incident in the chamber.

"I'm okay. Madam Pomfrey already took care of me," he assured. Snape relaxed for a second but then his face darkened.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you," he said quietly as he sat down on Harry's bed. Harry knew he wasn't just talking about when he woke up this morning.

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault. You had to do your job and check on the slytherins," Harry reassured.

"It's also my job to protect you," Snape said lowering his eyes. Harry felt his chest tighten.

"There was nothing you could do. It's not like you can follow me around wherever I go."

"I guess that's true, but this whole thing still shouldn't have happened," Severus growled.

"You're right about that, but you two don't have to worry about that," Mr. Malfoy turned to walk out of the room. "It's time for me to do what I do best. I promise, before the next term starts there will be a lot of changes."

Harry watched as Mr. Malfoy left the room. Snape placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder.

"What did he mean by that," Harry asked.

"Nothing you need to worry about now. Is there anything you need," Snape asked in a comforting tone. Harry looked down a bit embarrassed. There was one thing he had seen aunt Petunia do to Dudley when he saw something scary on TV or was sad about something.

"Um…well."

"It's okay. Just tell me what you want."

"Can… can I have a hug?"

Severus let out a smooth chuckle and pulled Harry close to him. Harry was then surrounded by the most comforting warmth he had ever experienced. It took all of his strength not to cry.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: How was that? I have to admit that the threat that Quirrell gave Harry was kinda based off a small part in the movie ****_Hannibal Rising_****. Just in case anyone was reading it and wondering 'why does this sound so familiar?' This chapter is the last time I'm going to copy lines right from the Harry Potter movies. I'm sure it's kind of boring to read them. So, in next chapter the school year ends and for the first time, Harry goes home with Severus and finds out why he hates living there.**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN:*Sigh* I managed to get this chapter done on time. I honestly didn't think I would then we got a snow day! (I just wish I didn't have to drive home in the middle of the snowstorm last night. It turned an hour drive into a two hour one) Anyways, the point is I had plenty of time to finish this up. So here it is. Enjoy!**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Thankfully, the rest of the term passed without any more dangerous excitement, unless you count Neville's' cauldron exploding in class. It was a shock when the students received news that Professor Dumbledore was suspended from his job while the Board of Governers launched an investigation. All the gryffindors grumbled at the news. They were all angry that a great wizard like Dumbledore would be accused of negligence. Personally, Harry thought that if Dumbledore really didn't do anything wrong than there shouldn't be a problem.

Harry could hardly believe that he was packing up his things to go to his new home with Snape. Although Snape still insisted that it wasn't really a home. Harry kept asking the man what he meant but the only reply he would receive was, "You'll understand when you see it." Harry wondered if it was messy or something. After all, Snape hadn't been at the school the entire term and he didn't have a house elf to clean while he was gone. As excited as Harry was to see Spinner's End, he was a little sad to leave Hogwarts. The school had become a kind of home for him these last few months. He would miss sleeping in a room with other boys and seeing his friends every day. He was certain he would be seeing a lot of Draco but he would miss Ron and Hermione. Ron had suggested that Harry come stay with him and his family for a while but Harry didn't want to impose. He would have to ask Snape if he could visit from time to time.

Harry finished packing the last of his books into his suitcase and looked around for one last time to see if he had missed anything. Finding nothing he zipped up his suitcase and dragged it out of the boy dormitories. Ron and Hermione were waiting for him at the entrance of the Gryffindor dorms. Harry had promised to walk them to the train even though he wasn't going to leave on it. Harry dropped his suitcase off at Snape's private rooms and then followed after his friends. At the train station the three friends promised to write to each other over the summer holidays and said their last goodbyes. Harry also waved to Neville and Dean when he saw them get on. Draco gave him a quick hug and told him that he would see him later. Harry smiled and waved one last time before turning back to the school.

Snape was busy packing the last of his own items into his briefcase which was considerably smaller than Harry's. It was a black leather briefcase that looked like it belonged to a businessman instead of a sarcastic potions professor. He explained that he had put an extension charm on it so he wouldn't have his hands full with a bulky suitcase. Harry didn't really pay much attention to it. He was much more interested in Snape's clothes. He was wearing formal black pants with a white button-up shirt which was mostly covered by a black jacket. He really did look like a business man. It was weird seeing Snape in anything but his wizarding robes. Snape seemed to notice Harry staring at him and smirked. Harry felt his face redden from embarrassment and quickly averted his eyes.

"I suppose I look a little odd to you wearing a muggle suit," Snape guessed. Harry shook his head.

"No Professor. You look nice. It's just that I've never seen you wear those kinds of clothes before," he explained quickly.

"Harry, we're going to be living together. While during the school term I would prefer you call me professor or Snape, now we're going to my house you are free to call me by my first name," Snape said packing the last of his items. Harry's eyes widened.

"Severus?"

"Yes. You can call me that or Sev as Lucius often does but if you call me Sevvy I will smack you in the head," he warned.

Harry laughed but nodded that he understood.

"Sna-Severus. Why are you wearing a muggle suit?"

"Because we will be apparating to Spinner's end. I have a barrier around my house so that no one can apparate to the inside and I disconnect my fireplace from the floo network while I'm at the school so that means we will have to apparate to an alleyway near the house and walk to it. Both muggles and wizards live on the street so I have to wear muggle clothing so I don't attract unwanted attention," Severus explained.

"I've never heard of a place where wizards and muggles live together," Harry mused.

"There are a few. On the outside all the houses look like an average muggle home, but on the inside of the wizards house it'll look very different. Usually there'll be a charm on it to make the inside of the house bigger than what it looks like on the outside but I'm afraid that is not the case for my house," Severus said closing his brief case. "Okay are you ready to go?"

Harry nodded and the two headed off to the edge of Hogwarts' boundaries where they could apparate. Once there Severus turned to Harry.

"Okay. Hold on to your suitcase. We don't want it falling mid-flight," he instructed. Harry tightened his grip in the handle. Severus pulled Harry into a tight embrace. The sudden action shocked him. "Now take in a deep breath and hold it," Severus whispered in Harry's ear. Harry did as he was told then suddenly his body felt as if it was being pulled and pushed through a small tube. It wasn't painful but it was definitely different from anything he had experienced before. He had his eyes shut so tight he didn't notice that they had arrived at their destination.

"Was it that bad," Severus asked.

Harry opened his eyes and shook his head.

"No. I'm fine."

Severus led him through the neighborhood. Harry couldn't help but feel a little frightened by the place. If he had to use a word to describe it he would use dead. There was no one outside and the buildings looked rundown. Even the sun didn't show itself. There were only gray clouds in the sky. Harry made sure to stay close to Severus. If vampires were real, this was probably where they lived. They finally stopped at a clearing. Harry looked to see a house that sat next to a dirty looking lake. In the distance Harry noticed an old mill that looked like it was abandoned. This house was probably the most stable he had seen in the village. It wasn't a mansion but it wasn't small either. It has made out of grey stone with black shingles. There was a small fence surrounding an area that Harry assumed used to be a garden but was now overgrown with weeds. _Geez, all this place needs is a dead tree in the background and it would be perfect_, Harry thought sarcastically.

"As I said it's not really a home," Severus said as he walked to the door. "I'm afraid the inside isn't much better but I asked Lucius to send over a few house elves to clean it up and prepare your room."

"Thank you."

Severus opened the door and ushered Harry into his new home. Harry looked around the hallway. It was barren and lifeless. There were no pictures or any unnecessary furniture to decorate the place. Severus took him on a tour through the house. There was a living room that had a couch and two sitting chairs that were placed around a coffee table. Again there were no decorations on the walls. Next was the kitchen that was fully stocked with everything needed for making meals. It seemed to have a little more life to it. There was a small room that only contained a table for eating meals. The table and chairs were plain and simple. He was then shown the library, which greatly contrasted the rest of the house. There was a large fireplace on the far wall with a lounge chair sitting in front of it. The walls were basically just book shelves that were packed full. There were a few end tables placed strategically around the room. There was an antique rug on the floor that tied the room together. It was a cozy room and Harry could tell this was where Severus spent most of his time.

"I'll add a second chair in here for you if you want to read in here. I'll probably have to move things around but I'm sure it can be done," Severus commented.

"You like this room don't you?"

Severus smirked.

"What gave it away? The fact that it's the only room I've shown you that I actually bothered to furnish?"

"Why did you buy a house like this? It doesn't have any life in it," Harry asked. He only realized what he said afterwards. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I shouldn't have said anything."

Severus had a distant look in his eye. Harry felt his heart clench. The look on the man's face was so pained it hurt him to see it.

"That's fine Harry. It's a logical question. The truth is that this is my childhood home. I inherited it after both of my parents passed away. Honestly I've been going back and forth about whether I should just give up and live here or burn the place to the ground," Severus said with a sigh. Harry stared at him with a confused expression. He blinked a few times and the pained expression went away. "Enough of that. I'll show you your new bedroom. It's small compared to most but I can guarantee it'll be bigger than your old one."

"It's okay. I'm just happy to have my own room," Harry said trailing after Severus. Severus looked back at him and smiled. He opened a door at the end of the hallway and stepped aside so Harry could walk in.

It was wonderful. There was a single bed with red blankets and a fluffy looking pillow. The walls were also a warm red color. There was a large black carpet that covered the floor. Harry walked in and looked around. He saw a large wardrobe on the opposite side of the bed and there was even a desk with a chair where Harry could work on projects. It wasn't as large as the room Harry stayed in at Mr. Malfoys place but it wasn't as small as Severus made it sound. This room, like the library, had life to it. It wasn't as depressing and grey as the rest of the house.

"I'll leave you to get settled. My room is just across the hall. If you need any help unpacking or in come and get me," Severus said before turning to leave.

Severus left Harry by himself to himself. He really didn't have a lot to unpack. The only possessions he had were his school things. He was probably going to have to buy new clothes if he didn't want to be wearing his Gryffindor uniform all summer. Harry noticed an empty frame on his desk. He smiled as he pulled out the album Severus had given him for Christmas. He picked out the picture of his parents holding him as a baby and put it in the frame. He placed the picture on the end table next to his bed. He then placed the album on his desk. Harry pulled out his uniform and went to his wardrobe. He was shocked when he opened it to find that it already had clothes in it. He pulled out some of the shirts. They were his size and they all looked somewhat expensive. Harry nibbled his lower lip. Did Severus buy these for him? Harry hoped the man hadn't spent a lot of money on him. He had already done so much for him. Harry couldn't help but feel a little guilty. He was going to have to think of someway to repay the man. Harry finished putting his things away and shoved his empty suitcase under his bed. He laid down on his bed. He felt all his energy drain away. He looked around his new room and smiled. It may not be a normal house, but it was still nice. He felt his eyelids droop a little. Perhaps he'll take a small nap.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Severus finished unpacking the last of his things. He should probably think of buying more furnisher to make this place more 'homey'. He saw Harry's shocked face when he gave him the tour of his house. This was probably not what the boy wanted for a home. It wasn't really a home. The truth was that Severus would normally go straight to Lucius' manor after term ended and stay there the entire summer but with Narcissa that would just cause problems. Severus looked over at his mothers' old clock, one of the few things he had left of her that wasn't taken away by debt collectors after his father died. He should probably make dinner. Severus walked over to Harry's room and knocked on the door. Not getting an answer he opened it and saw Harry curled up on his bed. Severus smiled. He seemed like he was settling despite everything. Harry started to stir and rubbed his eyes.

"You must be pretty helpless if that amount of unpacking wore you out," Severus chuckled.

"I didn't get a lot of sleep last night," Harry defended sitting up.

"Sure. Anyways, is the room to your liking," Severus asked.

Harry grinned at him and stood up.

"Yes it's great. I've never had a room I could actually stand up in. Unless you count the dorm but that wasn't really _my _room."

"That's good to hear. I was wondering if you wanted anything in particular for dinner. I was about to go to the kitchen to make something," Severus explained.

"Oh, no. I don't have any preferences. Um, I can make the food. I cooked all the time at my relatives' house," Harry offered. He looked a little troubled.

"You don't have to do all those chores anymore. If you want to help me cook you're more than welcome to," Severus said as he started to walk towards the kitchen.

"Ok," Harry said trailing after him.

The two ended cooking a homemade chicken noodle soup and then sat down at the small table and ate. Severus explained to Harry that Lucius seemed to have come up with a plan to divorce his wife so they may end up staying at the manor for a while. Harry seemed happy to hear this so Severus guessed he must have heard about the wretched woman from Draco. Harry asked him about the clothes that were already in his wardrobe and Severus explained that Lucius had recently had to go shopping for clothes for Draco and had bought stuff for Harry while he was at it. Lucius had figured the boy was going to need some. Harry went to bed a little early that night but Severus guessed the excitement of moving in must have tired him out. Severus walked through his house. Normally he would fall into a state of depression just by being here. It was hard not to think of his childhood when he was here. Everywhere he looked in the house was another place he had been hurt. He could see the place Severus had collapsed after his father broke a bottle over his head. In the hallway was where his father had punched him in the face and broken his nose. It never did quite heal right. In the kitchen was where he overheard his father smack his mom and ran in to help her which resulted in one of the worst beatings of his life. Severus hated this place, but still he lived here. He wanted to stay close to the place where he had lived with his mother. She had been a kind and caring woman. She wasn't the prettiest woman but Severus never thought she was ugly. She had been his only comfort during his childhood until he met Lily. He had often wondered how a woman like her ended up with a bastard like his father. In the end she died before she could tell him.

It was strange that he didn't feel sad this time. Was it because he wasn't alone? That must be it. Severus looked at the boys' door. That had been his old room. It was the one place Severus had never been hurt. It was the one innocent room in the house. It was only fitting that he give it to Harry. Severus let out a sigh and went into his parents' old bedroom that had become his. It had been a long day. After he got his pajama pants on he fell into his bed, he had bought himself a new one and thrown out his parents old one. There was no way he would sleep on that. It didn't take long for Severus to pass out completely.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

It was turning out to be the best summer Harry ever had. He didn't have to do any excessive chores and he was feed regularly. He was also able to go to a nearby park as often as he wanted. Severus went with him the first few times to make sure Harry didn't get lost. They spent hours in the library reading and talking. Harry loved Severus' books. They all looked old and they were nothing like the ones in the Hogwarts library. Severus explained that most of his books were very rare which made Harry more than a little self-conscious when he handled them. They would both take turns cooking and cleaning up after meals. Harry enjoyed cooking for Severus. Unlike his relatives he wasn't demanding him to 'hurry up' and if Harry made a mistake he would just teach him the correct way to prepare a dish. It seemed being a potions master also made you a master cook. Harry wrote letters to Ron and Hermione every other day. They sounded like they were having fun. He was a little concerned when Draco didn't answer his letters and had asked Severus about it.

"Things are probably very tense over there. I'm sure everything's fine. He's probably waiting until things calm down to send anything," Severus assured but Harry could see he was worried as well.

Before they knew it, it had been two weeks. Everything was peaceful but slightly boring. Harry was contemplating asking Severus if they could take a trip to Diagon alley or something but he didn't want to sound demanding.

It was a clichéd stormy night when something finally happened. Both Harry and Severus were sitting in the library reading. Harry wasn't really paying attention to his book. Instead he was listening to the thunder. He looked out the window and watched the lighting. He remembered being so scared of thunderstorms when he was younger but after his uncle forced him to sit outside in the middle of one, they now seemed to remind him that things could always be worse. At least he was dry.

"You like watching storms," Severus asked looking up from his own book. Harry shrugged.

"I think they're cool looking. I used to hate nights like this," Harry answered.

"Actually it's early in the afternoon. The clouds just make it seem like it's nighttime," Severus pointed out. Harry looked up at the clock. It was only four o'clock?! Jeez, this day was moving slow. The two occupants went silent again and listened to the raging storm. They had barely noticed the little 'pop' in the hallway.

"Master Snape?! Master Snape?!"

Both Severus and Harry jumped up at the sound of the desperate voice. They ran to the hallway to see Dobby running towards them He clutched at Severus' leg.

"What is it? What happened," Severus demanded.

"Master needs help. Please come. Master Potter shouldn't come but Master needs Master Snape," the elf cried. Severus turned to Harry.

"You stay here. I'll get you as soon as I'm sure everything's safe. Stay by the fireplace in case I floo back. If I'm not back by your bedtime don't wait up," he ordered. Harry nodded not wanting to get in his way. Severus grabbed the small elf's hand and they both disappeared with a pop.

Harry paced by the fireplace wringing his hands. What had happened? Was Mr. Malfoy hurt? Draco? Did this have anything to do with Mr. Malfoys plan to divorce his wife? Merlin, it had only been ten minutes and Harry was already losing his mind. He heard another 'pop' and he immediately ran to the source of the sound. He stopped dead. It was Draco with Dobby. Draco looked at him. He had bandage on his neck and his hair was a mess. His clothes were slightly singed and he looked like he had been through hell. Draco looked at Harry and immediately burst into tears. Harry ran up and wrapped his friend in a tight embrace.

"Draco it's okay. What happened? Where's your dad and Severus?"

Harry couldn't make out what Draco was saying through his sobs. The boys lost balance and fell to the ground. Harry still kept his arms around Draco. He looked over at Dobby in silent questioning.

"Master wanted the young master out of the manor. Master says it might not be safe. Dobby orders were to take young master to Master Severus' house until everything's safe.

"That…that woman," Draco started when he had calmed down a little. "She tried to kill us."

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: Heehee. I can just imagine how many of you are secretly cussing me out for ending it like that. In the next chapter Lucius has a flash back of what happened and Harry consoles Draco.**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Here you guys go! The thrilling conclusion to the bitch of a cliffhanger in the last chapter. I can't believe I actually got this done by Tuesday! Anyways, enjoy!**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Lucius looked around the main entrance of his house. Paintings had been destroyed, vases smashed, and he could still see a little bit of Draco's blood on the floor. He had thanked Merlin a thousand times that Draco had only received a small wound on his neck. Severus stood next to him. Lucius barely noticed his hand on his shoulder. Aurors flooded the area, collecting evidence, questioning him, but most of all they searched for any clue as to his wife's whereabouts. It seemed they had already sent for Alastor Moody. The man hunt for Narcissa Black was already underway. She was no longer a Malfoy. Before contacting the aurors, Lucius had performed a ritual to magically strip Narcissa of all titles and claims to the Malfoy name. It was a well-known practice among purebloods. The ritual would only work if the family member in question had tried to intentionally kill or harm the heir to the family. This ritual was created to discourage assassination among siblings who wanted to take the spot as head of the family. At least now Lucius didn't have to deal with the divorce procedure. Lucius couldn't wait for everything to be over with. He wanted to run to his son. Severus had suggested that Dobby take him to his house where it was impossible for Narcissa to get through the wards. Lucius hadn't wanted to let his son go anywhere without him but it was better he wasn't here for this. Harry was probably taking care of him. He was a very caring boy and he cared as much for Draco as Draco did him.

Lucius hadn't expected any of this to happen. If he did he would have made sure that Draco went to Severus' place. He had no idea Narcissa would lose it or go so far. He was too focused on his plan he didn't foresee any of the possible consequences.

**XxxxFlashbackxxxX**

Lucius smiled to himself. He had practiced this spell on a mannequin many times and he was now able to perform it perfectly. He had read the entire book he found called, "Spells to Spice Up Your Sex Life." Lucius didn't even want to guess which of his ancestors had bought the book. At first he thought there would be a spell that would force Narcissa to want to have sex but there was no such thing. In fact there was a passage that said that at a time there had been such a spell but to use it on someone was considered rape and all traces of the spell had been wiped from history. There was however, a spell to make your partners clothes disappear. Lucius still had to be careful when he performed it. He had to catch Narcissa completely off guard and in a place where she couldn't use anything to quickly cover herself. He knew that if Narcissa were to see him approach her with his wand out she would immediately go into defense mode and block the spell.

He waited until a week after Draco had come home from school. He had used the time to observe her movements. She would spend much of her time lecturing their son on how to be a proper pureblood and would often tell him he was a disgrace to the family. In the afternoons she would often leave for a few hours and come back later at night. It was upon her arrival that Lucius finally made his move. Draco was in bed and fast asleep so there was no way he would accidently walk in on the scene. Narcissa walked in and looked up the stairs. She didn't notice Lucius in one of the doorways off to the side. Lucius couldn't help but notice that her hair was slightly tangled when it had been perfectly combed when she left. He could only guess what she had been doing. Lucius seized his moment and flicked his wand. All of her clothes became smoke and floated away. She let out a high pitched screech as she looked around for her missing garments. Lucius forced his eyes not to look away from her body until the found what they were looking for. Narcissa turned away from him exposing her back, and there it was. On her lower back, that disgusting mark stared back at him. Lucius shivered when he saw it. It was almost as if the thing was watching him as he looked at it. He shook his head. The only thing that mattered now was that he finally had proof that his wife was just as close to the dark lord as he had been, only she didn't have any proof that she was a spy. He grinned as he walked out from his hiding spot. She turned to him and gave him the most evil glare that would have made the dark lord himself cringe.

"You fucking pervert! I could report you for this," she screeched. She tried to look intimidating while covering up her nudity. Lucius rolled his eyes.

"Yes, because a court is going to get involved in a little prank a husband played on his wife. There is nothing against the law with undressing your spouse," he said calmly as he flicked his wand again. Narcissa's clothes reappeared on her.

"You're nothing but a disgusting fagot! Why did you even do that? To humiliate me?"

"Why of course not. I was just seeing if your body had had any unusual changes since I last saw it, and wouldn't you know, you got a tattoo," Lucius said in an innocent tone. He laughed internally when he saw Narcissa's face pale. Lucius decided it was time to stop beating around the bush.

"I'm guessing you know what this means. You will be exposed that not only are you a death eater but you lied to aurors about it. That alone might land you in Azkaban. Also, this means you have nothing more to hold over me. I am giving you a few days to pack up your things and find a place to stay. I'm sure your lover has some room for you. I will file for a divorce and of course I will be taking full custody of Draco. Pinky!"

Narcissa's house elf popped into the room. Even though she had served Narcissa since she and Lucius first married, Pinky technically belonged to the Malfoy family and therefore obeyed Lucius' orders over Narcissas'.

"Pinky is here sir. What can Pinky do for Master and mistress," the female elf asked with a bow.

"Narcissa is no longer the mistress of this estate. She will be spending the next few days packing for her departure. I want you to help her with that as much as you can. If she attempts to steal anything that belongs to the Malfoy family I want you to escort her outside of the wards. She is also not allowed to lay a single finger on our son is that understood?"

"Yes master, Pinky obeys."

Narcissa had been stunned silent but seemed to recover fast.

"You can't do this," she screamed in rage.

"I think you'll find that this is a more than appropriate action to take when one is about to get divorced," Lucius assured. He turned and began to walk up the staircase towards his rooms. He didn't even turn back as he made one last remark. "If you aren't gone by the end of the week you will be forcibly removed."

Lucius had almost wept in happiness the second he shut the door to his room. Free. He was finally free. Soon it would be just him and Draco. Lucius would be able to date again. He probably was going to wait on that though. Draco might need him. True, he probably wouldn't be sad since he no longer acknowledged the woman as his mother but he still would probably want to be close to his dad for a while.

Lucius hadn't heard from Narcissa in a few days. He had told Draco what happened and asked him to stay in his room as much as possible. He didn't want Narcissa to say any more hurtful things to him. It was getting close to the end of the week and Lucius sent Dobby to go check up on how things were going. He would have just asked Pinky but he didn't want Narcissa to be left alone in the manor even for a moment. Dobby told him that Narcissa seemed to be almost done packing. It seemed she was using only two suitcases with extension charms. She was muttering to herself a lot and seemed to be getting rather violent. She also hadn't eaten any of the food that was brought to her. Lucius had a bad feeling and wished that the end of the week would come sooner.

It was the day before the deadline when all hell broke loose. Lucius was startled awake when he heard Draco scream. He had fallen asleep at his desk doing paperwork. Lucius ran to Dracos' room to find it empty.

"Master! They're heading to the main entrance," Dobby informed frantically.

Lucius didn't even bother asking what happened. He Ran to the staircase and looked down in horror. Narcissa was standing in front of the entrance getting ready to walk out. Draco was standing next to her holding her suitcases. Lucius immediately flicked his wand and sealed off the doors. Narcissa turned to him with a crazed look in her eye. Draco didn't move. Lucius ran down the stairs but stopped in his tracks when Narcissa raised her wand to him. He did the same. Neither of them casted any spells. Lucius casted a worried glance at his son who stood frozen in place. If he didn't know any better Lucius would have thought it was a statue. He heard Dobby whine pitifully behind him.

"Draco, I've got her covered. Come over here," he called. Draco didn't move. "Draco!"

Narcissa let out the most chilling laugh.

"Turn around sweetie so daddy can see your face," she ordered.

Lucius almost collapsed in despair. Draco looked at him with the dead eyes. There was no emotion in his expression. There was no trace of his son in that face. Lucius had seen this enough to know what it was.

"You used the imperious curse on MY SON," he screamed in rage.

"Our son," Narcissa corrected. "Does it upset you that he's half of me? Is that why you dote over him? Do you feel guilty because you secretly can't love him because he reminds you of me," she taunted. Lucius tightened his grip on his wand.

"Draco was the only thing I have ever loved about you. If there was ever a time I had any positive feelings towards you, it was when you gave me him. Now let him go or I'll tear you apart," he threatened. Narcissa clucked her tongue.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, if I just let you have him then that means you've won. I can't allow that," she said thoughtfully. Her face brightened and she clapped her hands together. "I know. I'll just have you kill each other!"

Lucius felt his heart stop. He didn't even have to listen to Narcissa's order for Draco to know what she was going to do.

"Draco sweetie? Kill daddy for mommy."

Draco dropped the suitcases he was carrying and took out his wand. He immediately began throwing spells at Lucius who easily deflected them. Draco was smart and had learned some more advanced spells by reading the books in their library but he was still only twelve. There was no way he could keep up with Lucius but then again, there was no way Lucius was going to use anything but defensive spells against him.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Lucus was barely able to dodge Narcissa's curse. She blasted a few more killing curses as Draco also kept throwing spells and curses. Lucius found himself not only having to block spells aimed at him but also ones Narcissa had lazily aimed at Draco. Narcissa sent a blast of fire that singed Draco slightly but caught a few nearby portraits on fire. Lucius could hear them scream as the fire consumed them.

"Stop," Narcissa screamed. Both Lucius and Draco stilled. It pissed Lucius off that she had complete control of the situation. Narcissa gave a bored sigh and flicked her wand. Draco walked over to her. "This is getting tiresome. You're not fighting like you used to. You must be getting old Lucius."

"Like I'm going to do anything to hurt my son," Lucius barked. Narcissa didn't even pay attention to his response. She was busy pulling something out of her cloak. Lucius could see it was a dagger. He watched helplessly as she handed it to Draco.

"Lucius point your wand at yourself and use the killing curse," she ordered. Lucius' eyes widened and he took a step back.

"What?"

Draco raised the dagger to his neck. Lucius watched in pure terror as the blade pressed itself against his child's neck. All it would take was one quick slice and Draco would be gone. Lucius trembled.

"Do it," Narcissa hissed.

"Please. He's our son. He's your son. Don't do this. Please just let him live," he begged. He felt tears slide down his cheeks. He wasn't sure when he started crying.

"I promise. Do as I say and I'll let him live. I'll even leave him here for your fagot boyfriend to take care of. Snape seems like he enjoys _taking care of_ little boys these days. Now do it! Aim your wand at your head and perform the curse," Narcissa ordered loudly. Her voice echoed throughout the whole manor. To prove her point she had Draco press the knife even harder against his neck. Lucius watched as a line of blood flowed down his son. Lucius' legs couldn't even take the weight of his body anymore and he collapsed. His hand shakily held up the wand and pressed the tip to the bottom of his chin. He looked up one last time at his son. Even with that dead expression he felt his insides warm slightly. He would do anything for Draco. For his son. His little baby boy. At least he would have no regrets. He closed his eyes.

"No Master!"

Lucius opened his eyes to see a small explosion knock Narcissa and Draco off their feet. Draco hit his head on the floor and was knocked out. Dobby appeared at Draco's side and took the dagger and threw it. He then avaporated the two of them out of the room. Narcissa sat up and let out an enraged roar.

"How dare a house elf attack a witch! He will be executed for this!"

Before Lucius could regain his bearings she grabbed her suitcases and avaporated out of the manor. Lucius looked around. He was by himself. He screamed for the house elf that had taken his son. Dobby arrived with a small 'pop' and ran to his side.

"Master," he started but Lucius cut him off.

"Take me to Draco," he demanded. It took less than a second for Dobby to transport to Dracos' room. He was rubbing his head and moaning in pain. Lucius burst into tears at seeing him safe and awake. The curse seemed to wear off after he hit his head. He rushed over to him and pulled Draco into the tightest hug.

"Dad," Draco yelped. Lucius loosened a little but didn't let go. He felt Draco's body begin to shake as he broke down.

"I'm sorry dad," he cried. "I tried to stop myself but I couldn't."

"It wasn't your fault," Lucius soothed. "There was nothing you could do. No one can resist the imperious curse."

Lucius pulled away from Draco and looked him over. He looked a little worse for wear but otherwise fine. The cut on his neck from the dagger was still bleeding.

"Dobby bring me some bandages then find out how Narcissa got away from Pinky," he ordered. Dobby disappeared then reappeared with the bandages and then disappeared again in search of Pinky. Lucius wrapped up his sons neck. Draco had gone silent.

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I should have sent you to Severus'. You shouldn't have been here," Lucius apologized. Dracos' face kept a sullen expression.

"If I don't get to take blame then neither can you," he said quietly. Lucius gave him a soft smile. He pulled his son into his lap and held him close. Draco clung onto him as well. Their silence was interrupted by Dobby.

"Well," Lucius asked. Dobby was wringing his hands. He looked frightened.

"Master, Dobby's sorry sir, but Pinky is dead, sir," he informed. Draco stiffened in Lucius' arms.

"Was it Narcissa?"

"Pinky is victim to killing curse sir," Dobby answered sadly. Lucius shook his head. He would have to make a grave for her.

"Um…master," Dobby asked on the verge of tears. Lucius looked at him. "Is Dobby going to be handed off to wizard ministry now?"

Draco shifted in Lucius' arms.

"Why would we do that? You saved our lives. Even if it took until the last minute," Draco asked sounding confused.

"But Dobby break house elf law. House elves can't attack wizards," Dobby protested.

"Draco, according to the law, even though Narcissa was attacking his master, it was still illegal for Dobby to attack her. The ministry decided after the wizarding war with the dark lord that protecting their masters would not protect them from facing judgment. They decided that it would open a gateway for elves to start being used in rivalries and warfare," Lucius explained sadly.

"What are they going to do to him," Draco asked looking up at him. Lucius sighed sadly.

"If the ministry gets a hold of him, he will be executed."

"No," Draco yelled standing up.

"Draco," Lucius started.

Draco knelt beside Dobby and wrapped his arms protectively around the small elf. He looked up at Lucius with a defiant look.

"No! Dobby didn't do anything wrong! He's a good elf!"

"Draco I'm not going to send Dobby to the ministry. We're going to have to hide him," Lucius explained. Dobby looked up at him with hopeful eyes. Draco smiled and dropped his arms.

"Master?"

"A Malfoy doesn't abandon someone who saved their life, and you protected Draco. For those things I am eternally grateful. Now we need to act fast. Dobby you need to go get Severus. Bring him hear. Don't bring Harry because it's not safe," Lucius said. His mind being trained to work under pressure was already coming up with a plan for damage control.

When Severus arrived he quickly noticed Draco and went to look him over. He had been trained to perform emergency care. It seemed Draco didn't need any. Lucius explained to Severus what happened and they talked about what they were going to do about Dobby. They decided to tell the ministry that Dobby had disappeared after the incident and just hide him until everyone forgot about what he did. Severus suggested that Dobby take Draco over to his house while the aurors were investigating. Lucius agreed and let Draco leave with Dobby only after giving him a tight hug that must have lasted at least three minutes.

**XxxxFlashbackEndxxxX**

Lucius felt slightly numb. He just wanted this to all be over. The aurors had been there all night. Lucius handed over his memories of the incident to the lead auror. The many stored them away and looked back at him.

"Now I hate to ask this, especially after what he did for you, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to take that house elf into custody," the man said with a sad look on his face.

"Dobby hasn't been seen since I arrived," Severus reported. The auror looked to him then back to Lucius.

"Is that true," he asked.

"Yes," Lucius confirmed. He gave the man a stern look. "And I pray you won't find him."

The auror just blinked at him then chuckled.

"Off the record, I'm not going to put that much effort into it," the man confessed before he called to his coworkers telling them to wrap up what they were doing and prepare to leave. Lucius visibly relaxed. Severus escorted all the aurors to the floo. Lucius looked around the room again. He couldn't believe what his conquest for freedom had almost cost him.

"I've already given your other house elves orders to clean up. Do you want to stay at my place tonight," Severus asked as he reappeared. Lucius simply nodded. He practically ran to the floo and barely slowed down as he grabbed some powder and practically begged it to take him to his brothers' house. Draco must be absolutely beside himself right now. When Lucius and Severus arrived they were only greeted by a nervous looking Dobby.

"Where are they," Seveus asked.

"Young masters Malfoy and Potter are in Master Snapes room sirs," Dobby informed.

With a few quick strides Lucius reached Severus' bedroom door. He couldn't hear anything behind it. He slowly opened the door and stared inside. Severus walked up behind him. Lucius quietly gazed at the scene and couldn't help but smile.

"I take it you'll all be staying here tonight," Severus asked.

"You can stay here too. There's enough room. Come on," Lucius said happily entering the room.

"You're suddenly in a good mood," Severus commented following him inside.

"Of course," Lucius said. "Draco seems to be calm for now and I can finally sleep. I'll take care of all the serious stuff tomorrow. For now I'm just going to enjoy some peace."

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry was utterly shocked by what Draco said. He and Mr. Malfoy were almost murdered? Who was this woman he was talking about? Surely he wasn't talking about his mother.

"Who," Harry asked for confirmation.

"Narcissa. That bitch that claims to be my mother," Draco raged through tears. "She…."

Draco fell into tears again. All Harry could do was embrace him. He desperately thought of something to calm his friend down. He remembered something that happened during the winter at Hogwarts. One of the gryffindor girls was crying nonstop because her boyfriend had been cheating on her. Her friends had given her some hot cider to calm her down.

"Draco, let's go to the kitchen and I'll make you something to drink," Harry offered picking them both up. Draco muttered an okay and followed Harry. Harry looked in the cupboard that had been enchanted to keep food cold. He let out a sigh. No cider. He looked through some of the other cabinets and found some packages of hot chocolate. Harry looked at the expiration date since they had probably been in there at least since last summer. It was still good. Thankfully Severus had a muggle microwave since Harry didn't have the ability to magically heat it. He prepared the drinks for him and Draco and then ushered them into his room since all the other rooms were rather depressing to be in and he didn't want to bring any drinks into the library with all those books. They sat down on Harry's bed. Draco began to sip his drink. His eyes widened a little.

"What is this," he asked.

"Hot chocolate. I think it's a muggle brand," Harry said taking a drink from his own mug.

"The muggles sure no how to cook," Draco muttered taking another drink.

"So, do you want to talk now," Harry asked. Draco nodded.

"I was just sitting in my room and she came in. She put a curse on me," Draco started staring deep into the hot chocolate. "It was the imperious curse. It forces you to do whatever the caster orders. Even kill yourself."

Harry stared at him in disbelief. He stayed quiet while Draco spilled everything that happened to him.

"She… she wanted to make me go with her. To force me to become what she wanted me to. But dad stopped us from leaving. He begged mom to let me go. She was acting so crazed."

Draco took a few seconds to calm himself down before he spoke again.

"She made me attack him. I tried to stop myself but I couldn't fight the curse. I could only watch as I tried to hurt my dad. My mother even sent a few killing curses at him. It was horrible to watch my dad desperately trying to protect me and himself at the same time. He was trying so hard, but then, that woman stopped the fight. I guess she wanted to do more than just kill my father. She tried to destroy him completely."

"What do you mean," Harry asked.

"She gave me a dagger and forced me to hold it to my throat. She said that if he wanted to save me. He had to kill himself," Draco confessed. Harry literally chocked on his words. He hadn't imagined the sheer hell his friend had been through. Harry was surprised he had even managed to stop crying. He wouldn't have been able to. "He was going to do it, Harry. He held his wand to his throat. I've never seen dad look so helpless. If Dobby hadn't…"

Draco broke down into fresh tears. Harry grabbed his cup and placed it on the end table along with his own. Draco collapsed into Harry's arms yet again, this time he wept for a long time. Harry didn't say anything, not knowing what one would say to someone whose mother just tried to kill them. He kept rubbing Dracos' back as he cried out all his pain and anguish. They stayed like that on Harry's bed until Draco's crying quieted into sniffles and his body became heavy against Harry's. It took him a while to realize that Draco was falling asleep. Harry started to get up so he would have room to lay down but was stopped.

"Don't leave me alone," he begged rubbing his eyes.

"But you're tired and my bed's not big enough for both of us," Harry pointed out. Draco cocked his head to the side.

"What about Uncle Severus' bed," he asked.

Harry had seen inside Severus' room. He did have a large bed with nice sheets. He wondered how Severus would react if he found out they used his room without his permission. He looked at Draco who was already falling asleep even though he was still sitting up straight. Harry finally surrendered and led Draco across the hall to the bigger bed. They both crawled into the bed and curled up under the blankets. Draco snuggled into one of Severus' pillows.

"Hey Harry," he asked quietly. Harry finished situating himself in the bed and looked over at him.

"Yes Draco?"

"Thank you for being there for me. You've been a good friend to me since the moment we met," Draco said with a yawn. Harry smiled to himself.

"You're welcome. Goodnight Draco."

"Goodnight Harry."

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: Surprisingly I don't have that much more to say. Thank you guys for reading and for the amazing review. You guys are the best, cookies for all! Until next time. Heehee**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Hurray for spring break! That means I actually get two days off which I haven't had in a while XD Anyways thanks for the wonderful reviews.**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Consciousness came very slow for Harry. He spent what felt like an hour in a half asleep state. He didn't even notice at first that someone was pressed up against his back or the arm draped over him. He moaned as he finally managed to stretch and sit up. He looked around the room and notice he was still in Severus' bedroom. Did he not come home yet? Harry turned to wake up Draco but stopped. Not only was Draco still sleeping soundly but Mr. Malfoy was also passed out next to him with his arm stretched across both Draco and Harry. Harry was glad to see both Draco and his father sleeping so peacefully after such a horrible experience. A small noise caught his attention. Careful not to wake them, Harry slid out of the bed. He noticed he was still in his regular clothes he wore yesterday. He had completely forgotten about changing into pajamas. Harry walked out into the hallway. The noise was coming from the kitchen. Harry was pretty sure who it was. Sure enough, Severus was there messing around through a cabinet.

"Good morning," Harry greeted.

Severus practically dropped everything as he spun around. Harry was amazed that he had pulled out his wand so fast. Severus quietly stared at Harry for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and relaxing.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people," he said as he put away his wand.

"I'm sorry," Harry apologized with a snicker.

"Anyways, I'm going to make breakfast for everyone. Do you want to help?"

Harry nodded and began rolling up his sleeves. They decided on making pancakes with both bacon and sausage. Severus got to work on frying cooking the breakfast meats while Harry mixed up the pancake batter. Harry kept glancing over at Severus who was lost in thought as he cooked.

"How was your sleep," he asked.

"Not too good. I decided to take the couch since it was a little crowded on my bed. Lucius tried to talk me into joining you guys but I much rather sleep where I'm not afraid of crushing young boys by rolling over top them in my sleep. I have a stiff neck now."

"I'm sorry we slept in your room without asking," Harry apologized quickly. "It's just that Draco didn't want to sleep alone and your bed was the only thing big enough for us."

"It's fine Harry. I'm just glad that you were there for Draco. Both him and his father went through hell last night."

"Are Mr. Malfoy and Draco going to be okay," he asked worriedly. Severus nodded.

"They are very strong people. It'll take a few days but soon they'll be even happier than they were before now that they are free of that woman," he assured.

"Did they catch Draco's mom?"

"Don't refer to that thing as his mother," Severus said with an angry look on his face. Harry flinched at the change in attitude. Severus seemed to notice and softened.

"Harry," he started softly. "Despite what many believe, family isn't defined with blood. Just because Narcissa gave birth to Draco it doesn't make her his mother. It's the same as your aunt and uncle. They were your blood relatives and despite that they treated you no better than a slave. As sad as it sound, having a blood relation with someone is meaningless and does not tie you to that person."

"But isn't that how it's supposed to be," Harry asked. "Aren't you supposed to love your family despite everything else? Aren't families supposed to be there for each other no matter what?"

"They are," Severus answered. "I'm not saying that all families don't love or trust one another. I'm saying that blood connections aren't the only thing that makes someone your family. Take me and Lucius for example. We don't share one bit of blood but I still consider him my brother and Draco is my nephew. We are a family. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Harry nodded. He supposed it made sense given how he had been treated by his own family. It was somewhat comforting how you could gain a family after losing the one you were born with.

"You know Harry, you're a part of that family too."

Harry spun around to see Mr. Malfoy standing in the door way with a soft smile on his face. His hair was slightly messed up from sleeping and his clothes were wrinkled. It was definitely different from how he normally looked.

"Good morning Mr. Malfoy," he greeted shyly. He wasn't really sure how to act around the man.

"Harry, didn't you hear what I just said? You're family. You don't have to be so formal," Mr. Malfoy said with a smile. He walked in the kitchen and looked at the stove where breakfast was cooking.

"Than what do I call you? Lucius?"

"You could do that, or you could call me Luc or if you really want to you can call me dad," he answered turning back to Harry. Harry was stunned. Dad? Why did Mr. Malfoy ask him to call him that? Severus was his guardian not him. If anything shouldn't he be calling Severus that? Then again, Harry never really thought of Severus as a parent. Sure, he was the one raising him but Severus didn't really give off that 'I'm your new dad' vibe. Harry still couldn't figure out what Severus was to him but he definitely wasn't his parent.

"Oh wait no," Mr. Malfoy said excitedly shaking Harry out of his thoughts. Mr. Malfoy put his hands on his shoulders and looked him directly in the eye. "Call me papa! Draco never called me that."

"Um, I'll think about it," Harry answered not really knowing what else to say.

"Are you being serious or are you being perverted," Severus asked putting the food on plates.

"I am never perverted to children," Mr. Malfoy snapped.

"Whatever, wake up Draco and tell him breakfast is ready. It's not as grand as it is at your house but it's still good so you better not complain," Severus ordered.

In less than five minutes everyone was sitting in the plain dining room eating their breakfast. At first everything was awkwardly silent until Draco couldn't handle it.

"Did they find out where Narcissa went?"

"Unfortunately, no. We'll have to be cautious when we go out in public but the manor is safe. She will no longer be able to set foot on the grounds," Mr. Malfoy assured.

"Okay," Draco sighed. Harry figured he was probably disappointed that she hadn't been caught.

"How about we discuss something less depressing over our breakfast? How about we focus on all the good that will come out of this? Oh! That reminds me. Severus, I want to talk to you about a possible change in living arrangements," Mr. Malfoy said quickly changing his voice from friendly to more of a businesslike tone.

"I'm assuming you're about to ask me and Harry to move into the manor," Severus predicted. Harry looked up when he heard this and then looked over at Draco who looked both shocked and excited at the revelation.

"Yes, we did agree that you would once Narcissa left for good since you practically live at the manor when she was on her year long trips. I believe you said that you rather liked the room next to our private potions lab," Mr. Malfoy pointed out. Harry was confused as to why he was talking like that to Severus. He had thought that he only talked like that at business meetings. Was asking someone to move in with you considered business?

"I do. It is far enough away from the rest of the house so I have ample privacy and I do hate this house. What about Harry's room?"

"Of course I've thought of that. There's a free room down the hall from Draco's. It's about the same size as Draco's and has a private bath," Mr. Malfoy answered.

Severus leaned back and thoughtfully sipped on his orange juice. Harry couldn't believe it. It sounded like this was something the men had discussed before and it sounded like the decision was already made. Harry loved the thought of living at the manor. He didn't want to sound ungrateful but he was starting to get a little bored here with nothing to do but read and take walks around the depressing town where the sun was always hiding behind clouds. Harry leaned forward as if that would prompt the man to answer faster. He felt Draco grab his arm. The suspense was probably killing him to.

"Harry, your opinion? This does involve you as well," Severus asked not really looking at him.

"That would be great! Not that I don't like it here," Harry added quickly.

"When do you want us to move in," Severus finally asked setting down his drink.

"Preferably now but if you need a few days to pack I can force myself to wait until tomorrow," Mr. Malfoy said thoughtfully. Severus let out an annoyed sigh.

"If you want us there today we'll need a few hours to pack. It'll mostly be Harry's things since I don't have many personal possessions," he pointed out.

"Neither do I really. I just have my school stuff and clothes. By the way, thank you for buying those for me," Harry thanked Mr. Malfoy who waved his hand.

"Think nothing of it. It had occurred to me over the winter that you didn't have any personal items much less basic necessities and it was not like Severus could do it," he stated. Severus raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes I could. In fact I recall you were the one that told me not to," he argued.

"Of course you couldn't. I know your sense of style is literally black and white. Mostly black. I had to make sure our little Harry didn't look like he was going to a funeral every day. He needs colors in his wardrobe. You need color in your wardrobe," Mr. Malfoy ranted. Severus closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"Shut up! You're not shopping for me. Harry, go repack your school suitcase. I'll take care of your clothes," he commanded. Harry didn't even care that he hadn't finished his breakfast. He stood up and quickly walked to his room.

"I'll help you," Draco announced following him.

They both practically raced to Harry's soon to be old bedroom. Harry had to admit, he would miss it. Even if it was for a short time, it was his first real bedroom in a real home. Draco had a large grin on his face.

"This is going to be great! We're going to be living with each other. I can't wait to properly show you around. You didn't really get a chance to explore the manor last summer," Draco said as Harry pulled out his suitcase from under the bed.

"Yeah. I was only there for a few days and one of them was spent in Diagon Alley," Harry recalled. Draco nodded.

"I didn't know that my dad and uncle Severus had talked about this before but I guess it makes sense for him to move in with us," he commented as he started to look over Harry's room to see how much packing they needed to do. It really was just Harry's school stuff and some clothes.

"What do you mean," Harry asked. He started gathering his old schoolbooks.

"Have you looked at this place? It's really creepy and outside isn't that much better. I don't know why he still lives here. He says he hates it here but he still doesn't move out," Draco said quietly. Harry took the hint and lowered his voice as well.

"I understand what you mean. I thought it was strange too when he first showed me around. All the furniture is old except for his and my bed. He says he doesn't want to buy new ones because he didn't want to stay in this house but at the same time it's like he doesn't want to leave here," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Well, this is his childhood home," Draco pointed out. "Maybe he doesn't want to let go of the memories?"

"But if that's the case why does he hate it here so much?"

Draco shrugged his shoulders.

"I honestly don't know. He never talks about when he was a kid and when I ask him about it he always changes the subject. He's a mystery, even to me."

"I bet your dad knows," Harry said thoughtfully. "But I guess with stuff like this it's better to ask him myself."

"I guess. Hey let's hurry up so I can give you at least part of the tour so you'll know where the important stuff is."

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

"I don't see why you don't let me pick out at least some of your clothes," Lucius pouted. Severus rubbed his temples. If Lucius was going to give him headaches like this everyday he might end up moving back by the end of the week.

"Lucius I hardly think that's important right now. I think we have more serious thing to discuss," he sighed. Thankfully, Lucius nodded.

"I'm going to discreetly ask around for someone who's willing to hide Dobby for awhile. We can't just leave him here, especially since you're moving out and most likely the ministry will send aurors to do surprise searches of the manor to find him," he started pushing his plate away. He had managed once again to completely devour his breakfast without anyone noticing. This was a skill Lucius had developed for meetings that would take place at restaurants or at formal dinners where he was expected to have an opinion on everything that was being said. Severus recalled Lucius complaining about it right after he had taken his place as the head of the family. Apparently it was so bad he had once gone four days without food. After that he practiced eating discreetly while continuing a conversation until he was able to go through an entire dinner without anyone seeing him lift his fork.

"You think they'll go that far? They usually don't try too hard to capture elves on cases like this," Severus stated.

"I know but I still have enemies in the ministry who would love to see me rot in Azkaban," Lucius pointed out. Severus nodded in agreement. "Thank you by the way."

Severus gave his brother a confused look.

"For what?"

"For being there for me last night and for agreeing to move in. It's unfortunate but my work doesn't let me take a break no matter what's happening in my life and Draco needs someone to be there for him. Whether it's you or Harry I feel a little more comforted knowing that's someone's with him," Lucius explained with a sad smile.

"Lucius, we both knew I was going to move in the second you got rid of the bitch, asking me was just a formality so you don't really have to thank me for that but you're welcome. Also, you don't have to feel guilty, Draco is a very smart and understanding young man. He knows you don't have a choice when it comes to your work."

Lucius looked down into his lap.

"I know that but it still doesn't take away the guilt," he said sadly. Severus flinched as Lucius had one of his signature mood swings and popped his head up. His sad smile was replaced with a grin. "But at least he won't be lonely anymore. He'll have you and Harry to keep him company. He's never really had anyone to hang out with at the manor. This will also be a good thing for Harry, more of a family environment you know."

Severus nodded. He couldn't deny that this was better for the boy. As much as Harry liked his bedroom and the library, he had noticed that he seemed uncomfortable when he was anywhere else in the house. Harry would definitely be more comfortable in the manor.

"Oh speaking of work, I've got some news about Dumbledore," Lucius announced. Severus was very interested but he needed to get going if he was going to have his bags packed.

"That's good Lucius but tell me when we're in my room. Dobby," he called. Dobby immediately came into the room. "Could you clean the dishes and pans?"

"Yes sir. Dobby take care of everything," the little elf replied happily.

Severus walked to his room and ignored Lucius' grumblings about him ordering someone else's servants around. Severus walked into his room and looked around making a mental list of what he would take and what he would leave.

"Okay so what were you going to say about Dumbledore?"

"The board has discovered that Dumbledore had indeed interfered with Harry's sorting. He'll probably have to be resorted but they are still debating that," Lucius informed as he gracefully laid down on Severus' bed. It was clear he wasn't going to even try to help Severus with his task.

"Why? Wouldn't that be standard for something like this," Severus asked pulling out a briefcase from under the bed.

"Nothing about a headmaster interfering with a sorting is standard. Severus, this is the first time this has happened in the history of Hogwarts," Lucius explained pulling a pillow over to him.

"That we know of," Severus added. Lucius looked thoughtful for a moment and shrugged.

"I suppose it could have happened before but this is the first time the hat has spoken up about it, which I don't blame the poor thing from what I read in its report of how Dumbledore coerced it. The thing is, this whole mess is an embarrassment to the institution. Several of the other governors are adamant about keeping this thing out of the press. Unfortunately there is no way that no one's going to notice that 'the boy who lived' got resorted into another house. Assuming he was meant to be in a different one. We're still arguing over that detail."

Severus was dropping clothes into the charmed suitcase. He didn't even bother folding them since everything tended to move around a lot in magically extended containers.

"I suppose I can see the problem with getting the press involved. Rita Skeeter does love to blow stories like this out of proportion," he commented absentmindedly. He briefly wondered whether he should move his book collection to the Malfoy manor as well. He quickly decided against it for that would be too much work and many of them were too delicate to withstand a trip in and extended bag.

"Yes she does and we're already getting enough bad publicity over the whole Quirrell issue. Have you read the paper lately?"

"No. I haven't gone anywhere and I have no way of having it sent here."

"Seriously, buy an owl. Anyways, someone seems to have leaked the story to the press. They know all about how your request to have Quirrell investigated was ignored and that Dumbledore was using the school to hide a valuable object that many dark wizards are after. As much as I wanted to get rid of Dumbledore I was hoping it would go more smoothly. Apparently, despite the evidence the majority of people still think of Dumbledore as some sort of incorruptible saint," Lucius grumbled hugging a pillow. This caused Severus to stop his packing and give Lucius his full attention.

"You mean to tell me, that despite his blatant disregard for his students' safety, his tampering with the sorting ceremony, and evidence that proves that he ignored warnings of suspicious actions of a member of the faculty which resulted in the endangerment of a student's life he's just going to get away with it? They're really going to let him stay because people say 'he's a great guy'," Severus asked in a low, deadly tone. Lucius raised his hand and motioned for him to calm down which only served to irritate him further.

"Severus it's okay. By the way the public doesn't actually know about him tampering with the sorting ceremony since we're trying to keep that part quiet. It's true that the majority of the governors support Dumbledore but it doesn't matter. With as much evidence as we have that proves he endangered students it's impossible for them to allow for him to continue on as headmaster," Lucius assured.

"So he is getting sacked," Severus said in relief.

"Well… no. The governors are proposing that we merely have him either step aside or we will have to force him to retire. They say that this way it will be less damaging to the schools reputation," Lucius said looking unsure of whether he wanted to stay where he was at or hide in a corner from a possible temper tantrum from Severus. He had to admit that he felt like throwing something against the wall but he didn't want to scare Harry and Draco who were just across the hall.

"I mean it'll be less damaging for _his_ reputation," Severus corrected. Lucius didn't say anything. Severus sighed and flopped down onto the bed next to him.

"What the hell is wrong with people," he asked. "What is it that drives them to trust that man so much that they cannot see what's right in front of their eyes? It's clear that he's not the person they thought he was. What's the point in lying to your self just to avoid a little disappointment?"

He heard Lucius give a sigh next to him. He felt him move to sit up.

"Severus," he started now that he was sitting right next to him. "Many people saw Dumbledore as a sort of symbol of light when the dark lord threatened to destroy everything we knew. People believe that without him we wouldn't have gotten through it."

"Actually, I don't remember him doing anything during the war besides talk other people into risking their lives because it was 'for the greater good,'" Severus recalled. "I sometimes think of how that bastard probably enjoyed having people around to carry out his orders while he sat up on his pedestal."

Severus took in a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Now is not the time for me to be getting upset over something like this. I'm going to hurry up so I can pack Harry's clothes as well," he said standing up again.

"Good because I'm hoping to get everything settled by tonight," Lucius said falling back onto the bed.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry was getting out of the bathtub in his new bathroom and began to dry himself off. He was dead tired from the long day. The sudden move had left him a little worn out and he couldn't wait to break in his new bed. Draco had given him a quick tour of the manor but Harry still wasn't sure where everything was. Luckily Draco's room was close by so if he needed to go somewhere he could just ask him to show him the way. Mr. Malfoy had told Harry that if he needed anything or got lost all he had to do was call for Moppy, a house elf who was apparently assigned to him. It seemed that this house elf was Dobby's little brother. Harry wasn't used to being served by anyone and was a little uncomfortable but so far every time he told Moppy that he could do things by himself the little elf would start to cry and apologize for 'being a worthless excuse for a house elf.' After the fourth time this happened Harry finally gave up and let the dramatic elf do whatever it wanted. This included taking care of all of Harry's unpacking while he took a bath.

Harry finished drying himself off and began to put on his pajamas. He couldn't believe the room Mr. Malfoy had given him. When he was sleeping in that cupboard, Harry never would have believed that he would one day have a bedroom bigger than both of Dudley's and aunt Petunia and uncle Vernon's combined. It was almost intimidating with its size. Harry quickly brushed his teeth and walked into his new room ready to fall into bed. He stopped short as soon as he walked out of the bathroom. The room that had once been covered from the floor to the roof in different shades of green, which Harry did not care for but he would never dare say anything about it, had all turned to different shades of black and grey. It reminded Harry of the houses in Spinner's End. Harry looked around for any clue as to what had happened. His confusion was interrupted by a knock on the door. Harry hurried over to open it.

"Good evening Harry. I asked Moppy to inform me when you got out of the bath. I wanted to make sure you were all settled before you went to bed," Mr. Malfoy explained as he walked into the room.

"Mr. Malfoy, I don't know what happened. I just came out of the bathroom and all the colors disappeared," Harry said quickly.

"It's all right Harry. Many of the rooms are charmed to do this when they are given a new owner and didn't I tell you not to call me that?"

Harry shifted a little uncomfortably.

"Well, I'm just not sure what to call you. I guess I could call you Lucius but somehow that doesn't feel right and neither does papa," Harry explained. Mr. Malfoy gave him a gentle smile.

"That's alright Harry. It doesn't really matter that much what you call me as long as you're comfortable," he said before sitting down on a couch in the large sitting area in the room. Harry sat down next to him. He shifted uncomfortably again. He had wanted to ask Mr. Malfoy something all day but he wasn't quite sure how to say it.

"Now Harry, don't just sit there fidgeting and biting your lip. I know you want to ask me something," Mr. Malfoy chided.

"Why did you ask me to call you papa? Was it a joke," Harry asked finally deciding to just be straight forward.

"Oh that. I suppose I should have known it would bother you," Mr. Malfoy mused.

"It doesn't really bother me, I just don't understand what you meant by it," Harry explained. Mr. Malfoy nodded in understanding.

"To be honest it was just a spur of the moment kind of thought although I must admit I rather like the idea," Mr. Malfoy said shyly.

Harry smiled at the man. He was definitely what Harry thought of as the ideal father. Harry briefly thought that calling this man dad or papa wouldn't be such a bad thing but he was too shy to do that. Plus he didn't want to make Severus feel bad. The man had been an amazing guardian and Harry loved being with him, it was just that he didn't really treat Harry like a son, which of course didn't bother him since he never treated Severus like he was his parent either.

"I see," was all Harry could say.

"As I said, you can call me whatever you're comfortable with. I just don't like being called 'Mr. Malfoy' in my own home but if you want to continue calling me that you can. Harry just gave him a smile as a response.

"So…you said that this room changes color when it switches owners," Harry asked. Mr. Malfoy looked around.

"Yeah. It's so the new owner can redecorate it however they want. It's not that hard. Just touch anything in this room and clear your mind. The charm is meant to change the color of the furniture and walls to match your tastes. Try it out on this coffee table," Mr. Malfoy instructed pointing to the table in front of them.

Harry did as he was told. He closed his eyes and just focused on his breathing. He felt his finger tips tingle and he opened his eyes to see a simple but elegant, cherry wood coffee table in front of him. He smiled at it and immediately went to do the same thing to the couch. Ten minutes later he had decorated his entire room. The walls were light red and the ceiling was cream colored. His wardrobe and bookshelves were ebony. The frame for his canopy bed was also ebony but the sheets and the drapes were a cream color that matched the ceiling. There were intricate silver on the four posters and the headboard. The couch and chairs in the sitting area were cherry wood with black cushions. There was a grey antique desk that didn't change when Harry touched it but he figured that was because it looked really neat the way it was. Harry smiled at his new room. It really felt like his room now. He looked over at the clock and saw it was almost eleven at night. It was way passed his bedtime. He suddenly felt the urge to fall into the bed that he had before all the excitement.

"Wow, this is very nice, but I think it's time you went to sleep," Mr. Malfoy said ushering Harry over to the bed.

"Yeah," Harry said with a yawn. He pulled back the sheets and climbed in bed. He was caught off guard when Mr. Malfoy gave him a tight hug and began pulling the sheets over him. It took Harry a second to realize what the man was doing.

"I know you're a little old to be tucked in but it's a habit. I used to do it all the time but now Draco complains when I try to do it to him. Says he's too old for it," Mr. Malfoy explained with a sigh as he gave Harry a pat on the head. He walked over to Harry's door and turned back. "Goodnight Harry."

"Goodnight...Lucius."

Lucius smiled as he turned off the light and closed the door. Harry curled up in the new sheets and felt himself slowly drift off into sleep. He could tell he was going to love his new home.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: So how was that? Not as good as other chapters but it had to be written. As some of you probably noticed, I didn't really solve the whole 'is Harry going to be resorted' thing. I know that earlier in the story some of you left reviews saying you wanted Harry to be resorted into Slytherin but the truth is I have good ideas for the story either way. So if you guys have an opinion leave a vote in your reviews for whether or not you want Harry in Gryffindor or Slytherin house for the rest of his school years. (Either way you vote I'm going to skip over his second year since it's not really important) Thanks for reading! Heehee**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: And the results for the 'should Harry be resorted into Slytherin' poll….will be revealed in this chapter!**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Severus watched the two boys ride their broomsticks around the manor grounds. They would often chase each other or practice their Quidditch skills. Draco had announced that he wanted to try out for the Slytherin team this upcoming year. Harry had encouraged him saying it would be fun to compete against each other. Severus had to admit, it would be nice to have at least one person on the team who was a good sport. Contrary to what many believed, the house of Slytherin had many well-mannered and friendly kids. It was just that almost all of them tended to lose their heads when it came to competitions. They absolutely hated to lose and always went to great lengths to win everything. Severus hated to see them get so worked up over the sport.

Severus walked along the path in the garden's path. He could hear Harry taunting Draco as he chased him. Those two had become extremely close over the summer. It reminded Severus of him and Lucius when they were at Hogwarts. Even though Lucius was only there for his first year they had become fast friends and had written to each other religiously after Lucius left the school. Severus let out a happy sigh and leaned his head back and faced the warm sun with his eyes clothes. It was nice to get out of the potions lab and walk outside. Lately it seemed he had been spending more time outside his lab. It was strange but nice at the same time.

"Sevvy!"

Severus cringed at the nickname that had been called from that obnoxious mouth. He turned to see Lucius practically skip over to him.

"You call me that again I'll hex you," he snapped. Lucius just tilted his head a little and gave him a half smile like he was sad.

"How unfortunate that you manage to be grumpy while surrounded by such beauty," he sighed.

"Is there something you needed," Severus asked. "I know that you usually go right to Draco and Harry when you get home from your meetings at the ministry so I'm guessing you have news."

Lucius nodded. He looked over at Harry and Draco who hadn't noticed his arrival.

"Dumbledore has officially stepped down as headmaster. Professor McGonagall has agreed to take his place. So we'll be hiring a new Transfiguration professor as well as a Defense one but other than that it'll go pretty smoothly and unfortunately it won't look bad for Dumbledore," he explained.

"Well we already knew they were going to protect him and Professor McGonagall was the obvious choice. You have something else on your mind," Severus deduced from his brothers gaze.

"I think we should discuss this with Harry and Draco and tell them what really happened with Dumbledore," he said looking back at Severus. Severus nodded.

"Yes, especially Harry. He needs to know not to trust that man. Since he wasn't technically sacked he can still come to Hogwarts for visits, especially with a new headmaster. It will look like he's there to help Minerva get used to the job and he'll probably try to have a chat with Harry," Severus agreed. He knew that there was no way the man would hurt Harry in any direct way but he didn't trust that man. "I also don't want to hide anything from Harry. Especially since this involves him."

"There's something else," Lucius interrupted.

"Isn't there always?"

"I've been arguing with the other Governors to get Harry resorted."

Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Is there a particular reason for that?"

"Do you remember what that hat said the night Harry was attacked by Quirrell? It mentioned that Dumbledore had someone spying on Harry," Lucius reminded. Severus had almost forgotten about that.

"You think it's one of his dorm mates," he asked. Lucius nodded.

"Think about it. Dumbledore made a pretty big risk forcing Harry into Gryffindor. Why would he do that? It would have made sense if he was the head of house and he wanted to keep Harry close but he was the headmaster. The only logical conclusion I can think of is that he wanted Harry close to his spy. That and I think that perhaps he wanted to keep Harry away from you as much as he could."

"I can see that. He knew I didn't trust him even though I never said it."

"The Board of Governors finally agreed with me and are going to resort Harry and all the other students in his year," Lucius informed. Severus gave him a confused look.

"Why would they do that?"

"They've decided to tell the press that during the investigation on Dumbledore we found a confundus charm on the hat. We're going to say that it was recently placed on the hat, most likely as a practical joke. This way it doesn't look as suspicious as it would if just Harry was being resorted and the school can avoid any more embarrassment," Lucius explained.

"It seems like a lot of effort if you ask me," Severus grumbled. Lucius shrugged.

"As long as I get my way in the end I don't care what they do. So what do you say? Family meeting over dinner?"

Severus nodded. A surprised yell caught both of the men's' attention. Harry and Draco were running over to them.

"Dad you're back," Draco said happily. He jumped up and hugged his dad. After they were done Lucius turned to Harry.

"Welcome back, Papa," he said before also giving him a hug.

It had been a bit of a surprise when Harry first started calling Lucius that but now it seemed natural.

**XxxxFlashbackxxxX**

They were all having a quiet dinner. Lucius was tired from a long day of meetings with the Board of Governors and Severus was mulling over a problem he was having with a potion he was creating. Draco was trying to start a conversation with Lucius but failing.

"Hey Dad, how was work?"

"Fine."

"Dad, do you like the turkey? I think it's a little dryer than usual."

"It's fine."

"You should have seen it earlier, Dad. Harry and I went swimming and I finally did a perfect flip off the diving board!"

"That's very good Draco."

Lucius was looking out of it and pushing his food around on his plate. Draco frowned at him.

"Hey Dad can you pass the corn?"

Everyone at the table looked over at Harry who had turned beat red with embarrassment. It looked like he hadn't realized what he said at first. He immediately started to stammer out an apology but Lucius stopped him.

"Harry, I already told you it's fine. If you want to call me that you are more than welcome."

"Plus if you do it'll be like we're brothers," Draco added happily.

Harry shifted in his seat and glanced over at Severus. He smiled at him and gave him an assuring nod. Harry looked down at his lap shyly.

"Okay."

Later that evening, Severus heard someone knocking on his door and opened it to see Harry standing there in his pajamas. It was a little after his bedtime so Severus figured something was bothering the young boy and ushered him inside.

"What's the matter Harry? Can't sleep?"

"Um.. I'm sorry," Harry said so quietly that Severus had almost not heard him.

"For what? Is it possible you've managed to get in trouble while on your way from dinner to your room," Severus asked half-jokingly.

"Um... I mean about calling Mr. Malfoy dad even though you're my… I didn't mean to disrespect you or be ungrateful. You've done so much for me and yet I can't think of you as a..," Harry seemed to be tripping over his words. Severus smiled to himself. Would it really kill this child to be a little selfish from time to time? He always worried over others feelings. Severus bent down and wrapped Harry in a hug.

"It's okay. I may be your guardian but that doesn't mean you can't have someone else as a father figure. I realize I'm not exactly the fatherly type and I'm glad you have someone to fill that role," Severus soothed.

Harry pulled away and looked up at him.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Harry, no matter what happens or who you start to look up to I will always be here for you. Whether you just need advice about school or you need protection I'll always be here," Severus assured. Harry smiled and gave him a tight hug which Severus happily returned.

**XxxxEndFlashbackxxxX**

Harry couldn't help but feel like something was off. Although Lucius didn't look tired he was unusually quiet and Severus, who was normally quiet during meals, was making a point to make small talk. Draco gave him a look that told him that he had noticed as well.

"Um, is there something wrong," Harry asked finally after the third time Severus made a comment about the weather. Both adults glanced at each other.

"Well we were going to wait until you two were finished but if you guys want we can start now if you want," Lucius said pushing his plate away. Harry noticed he hadn't eaten anything. He pushed his plate away as well. He had a feeling he wasn't going to eat much during this talk.

"What is it Dad? Did you start dating someone? Because you don't have to worry we already know your gay and we're okay with it," Draco said as he finished the last bite of his dinner. The look on Lucius' face almost had Harry laughing.

"No…How….When," the man stuttered. Severus interrupted him.

"Draco asked me about it a few days ago. I tried to avoid the question and told him that he should ask you about it. Apparently he thought that meant yes," he explained.

Harry remembered that conversation. He didn't realize what being gay meant at first but after Severus explained it he vaguely remembered his uncle mentioning it. He had called them dirty and immoral but Harry figured that if Lucius was like that then being gay couldn't be bad. Lucius' face turned red and he snapped his head towards Severus.

"And you didn't think to tell me about that little conversation?!"

"I thought I should leave something like that between father and son, or sons."

Lucius coughed into his hand and calmed himself down.

"As much as I appreciate that you support me I don't think I'll be dating anytime soon. Besides I would rather spend all my free time with you guys while you're still here. Once the school term starts I'm going to be all alone again," he said with a sad smile.

"I think we're getting off topic," Severus interrupted. Lucius nodded.

"Yes. It has been decided that Professor Dumbledore will step down as headmaster next year," Lucius announced. Draco frowned in confusion.

"You mean he's retiring? What's so serious about that," he asked. Harry was also curious. Professor Dumbledore was rather old so it made sense for him to retire.

"Actually, Dumbledore was asked to step down or he would be forced into retirement," Lucius corrected. This shocked the two boys.

"Why? Did he do something wrong? Is this about the incident with me and Quirrell," Harry asked feeling somewhat guilty. Even though the whole thing wasn't his fault, he still hated being a part of something that cost an old man his job.

"Harry, there are some things you need to know about Dumbledore. You too Draco," Severus stepped in. "Dumbledore is not the man he appears to be. The wizarding world sees him as this kind, old, saint-like man but in reality he is a devious and manipulative bastard."

Lucius elbowed Severus in the arm and scolded him on his language at the table. Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. Dumbledore had been so nice to him in the hospital wing and all the other times he had talked to him. He seemed like the gentle grandfather type.

"Anyways, Harry, Dumbledore did some things this past year that the Board could not ignore and we have agreed that you and Draco should be informed of what happened," Lucius explained gently. "First off, Dumbledore should never have hidden an object like the Sorcerer's Stone in the school. It was an object that many dark wizards were after and would do anything to get. He did not have permission to hide it within the school where its very presence endangered the students."

"Not to mention the giant three headed dog that was guarding it. That thing had no place in the school," Severus grumbled. Harry didn't really understand what Severus was talking about. He hadn't seen a three headed dog when he was facing Quirrell and he was pretty sure he would remember something like that.

"And Harry, after Christmas, well…," Lucius looked over at Severus.

"I was concerned when you mentioned that your scar would hurt during Quirrell's class and I had often caught him trying to get into the third floor corridor so I talked to Dumbledore about it. I suspected that Quirrell was a former death eater and was probably after the stone and for your scar to hurt the way you described it there must have been some very dark magic involved," Severus explained. Harry nodded that he understood. He was glad that Severus would go so far for him.

"And that man completely ignored me. All I asked him to do was to look into Quirrell's past but he simply refused. Not only that but he accused you of," Severus stopped dead in his rant. Harry felt himself tense.

"What? What did he accuse me of," he demanded.

"He… he said that you were probably lying for attention," Severus answered.

Harry felt a stab of betrayal. How could Dumbledore say that? He would never spread such a lie about someone. True, he sometimes lied when he was younger to get out of trouble but he never lied to Severus, and never would tell a lie that might hurt someone.

"I…I've never lied to you," he defended. He wasn't really sure why he felt he had to convince Severus of the fact. Severus gave him a small smile and grabbed his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"I know Harry. I don't doubt that when you start getting into trouble again you might tell a few small lies but I trust that you would never lie to me about something big like that," he assured and Harry felt a lot better. "That's why I was so mad at him. I made sure to fill out some official documents that proved I had tried to warn Dumbledore and turned it into the ministry so there's proof that despite warnings and a requested background check, Quirrell was allowed to stay at Hogwarts and as a result you were attacked and hurt."

"Oh, so that's why you were so upset. Dumbledore ignored you and you ended up being right," Harry asked.

"No. I was upset that because of his negligence you almost died," Severus explained angrily.

"Wow, no wonder you guys asked him to leave. He really screwed up, but I don't understand why you guys say he manipulative," Draco said looking a little lost. Lucius sighed.

"Well that's where things really get serious. Harry, there's something you have to understand about yourself," he started turning to Harry. Harry sat up straight and gave him his full attention.

"You are famous. You not only survived the killing curse but the dark lord was killed as a result of it. People see you as his destroyer. There are also many people, including Dumbledore, who believe that he will return and when he does people will look to you to defeat him once again."

Harry sat there and tried to take in the information. Did people really expect that much from him? They really had that much faith in him because of something that happened when he was a baby? What if he didn't want to destroy the dark lord? What if he just wanted to be a normal wizard? Well, as normal as a wizard could be. He looked to Severus. Maybe he could just ask him to do it.

"Don't worry Harry. Whether he comes back or not, we'll be here to protect you and no matter what people say, you don't have to do anything you don't want to," the man said giving Harry's hand another squeeze. Harry relaxed a little. Severus always knew how to say things that made him feel better. It made him feel slightly guilty for thinking about asking the man to go up against the dark lord for him.

"What does this have to do with Dumbledore," Draco asked.

"Because of Harry's status many people will try to influence him to have certain ideals and behaviors they feel are appropriate for someone like him. Dumbledore is one of these people. We have found out that he had gone to certain lengths to control Harry's school life."

"Something tells me you're leaving out a pretty big detail," Draco said with a frown.

"He forced the sorting hat to put Harry into Gryffindor where it sounds like he had someone spying on him," Severus stated.

The room went silent. Harry stared straight at Severus while he and Lucius stared back at him. Draco literally had his mouth open in shock. Harry wasn't sure how he felt. On one hand he didn't really care which house he was in but to be placed into one for the sole purpose of spying on him? He was feeling a little…violated.

"Who," he asked in a low tone. He narrowed his eyes at Severus.

"Who," he asked back.

"Who's the spy! What kind of information were they giving him?"

Severus went to his side and wrapped his arms around him.

"I'm sorry but we don't know who the spy is. It was only mentioned briefly and Lucius and I are the only ones who know about it but don't worry. We'll do everything in our power to keep that man from you," he promised. Harry buried his face in the man's shoulder.

"I'll help too," Draco said walking over to Harry's side. "No one messes with our family and gets away with it."

Severus pulled away and Harry looked around at everyone.

"Thanks guys," he smiled.

"Oh, but that brings us to the last bit. Because Harry's sorting got messed with it's been decided that we're going to hold a special sorting for all the students in your year next week," Lucius announced.

"I don't understand," Harry said looking over at him. "I thought it was just my sorting that got messed up. Why is everyone getting resorted?"

"Because they don't want anyone knowing that Dumbledore messed with your sorting so their making it look like someone jinxed the hat," Severus explained.

"So how is that going to work," Draco asked.

"For two days the school will be open to the students from your year to come and get resorted whenever it's convenient for their parents to take them. All muggleborns will be picked up by a teacher and brought to the school at certain scheduled times," Lucius explained which caught Severus' attention.

"Wait I didn't hear about that," he interrupted.

"You'll probably get the letter later tonight with your students and times. I don't think there were many muggleborn students this year and I'm sure we assigned at least one to every teacher so at the most you'll have two."

After a few more minutes of talking Lucius decided that they all had enough excitement for one day and told Harry and Draco to get ready for bed. On the way to their rooms Draco kept talking about what they had learned.

"I mean why the hell was it necessary to spy on you? It's not like you were doing anything important or interesting, no offense," he grumbled. "Dumbledore sounds like a perv."

Harry first smirked at the comment then shuddered when he briefly wondered whether or not it was true.

"I suddenly feel like a need a bath," he said rubbing his arm.

"I don't blame you. So what do you think of the resorting? You think you'll be put into another house?"

Harry thought about it. He honestly didn't really care about the housing system they had. In his opinion it divided up the students too much and made him feel segregated.

"I don't really care. I mean, now that I know that someone in my house was spying on me for Dumbledore I want to move but then again I have so many friends there. I would miss Ron and Hermione," Harry said now beginning to worry. "What if I go to a different house and they stop hanging out with me. No one hangs out with people from other houses."

"Hey stop worrying. We were in different houses last year too but we didn't stop hanging out right," Draco pointed out. Harry remembered how they always got together at least once a week and talked. They would also make a point to greet each other when they had classes together.

"I guess you're right," he said happily.

"The whole housing and point system was really created for a little harmless and fun competition. A lot of people take it too seriously but if Ron and Hermione are true friends they'll be fine with whatever house you end up in…. oh Merlin that sounded so corny!"

Harry burst out laughing and was closely followed by Draco.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

That went very well, Severus thought sarcastically. Harry had looked so disturbed when they told him what Dumbledore did and he couldn't blame him. The old coot had seriously crossed the line from being a somewhat meddlesome old coot to a sadistic manipulative dark lord wannabe. What was really aggravating was that he couldn't do anything about it, at least not without getting arrested. Severus let out a long sigh as he collapsed into a chair near an open window. At least he couldn't bother Harry at school anymore which was a big step and since Dumbledore wasn't in charge anymore the boy might actually have a chance at a normal school life. Severus smirked and shook his head. No, something told him that nothing about that boy was 'normal'. Severus glanced at his potion that was cooling off before he added his next ingredient. He just had a few more steps to go before it was finished then he would retire for the night. A gentle breeze caressed his face and Severus stared out the window. He loved how the sky was always so clear at the manor. Hundreds of stars twinkled lazily as the rested on a dark blue blanket. Not even the moon was out to outshine them.

An owl's screech had Severus fighting to keep his heart from stopping. The beastly rude creature landed on the small table next to the chair Severus was sitting in. He recognized it as one of the school's owls. It held out its claw with the letter that Severus assumed was the one Lucius had told him he was expecting. He quickly accepted the letter and conjured up a treat for the owl. The owl accepted its payment and took off. Severus read the letter as he finished his potion. For the most part it wasn't anything he hadn't already known about. He was surprised to see that they had already found a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and a new Transfiguration professor as well. He was even more surprised when he read their names. His hopes for a normal school year were dashed before the first Hogwarts letters were sent. He read the name of the muggle-born student he was supposed to pick up and smiled. This might be somewhat fun.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry practically skipped to the fireplace. He couldn't wait to see his friend again. Severus followed him looking a lot calmer. Draco looked a little nervous but Harry wasn't sure why. Both Harry and Draco were in casual clothes. Harry was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a red t-shirt. Draco was wearing a pair of black pants with a royal blue t-shirt.

"Okay. Harry, you go first, then Draco, and I will go through last. Let's get going, the Grangers are already waiting for us," Severus instructed.

Harry did as he was told and was soon in the presence of three Grangers. He stepped out of the fireplace as, who he guessed was Mrs. Granger, began to clap like a child watching a magic show. He was immediately pulled into a bone-crushing hug by Hermione.

"Harry I'm so glad to see you. I can't believe their having us resorted. Never in the history of Hogwarts has there been a resorting of an entire year," she said knowingly. There was a burst of flames and Draco stepped out of the fireplace. Harry noticed Hermione tense up a little.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that Draco was coming with us," Harry realized. He felt like smacking himself in the head. This was probably a little awkward since Draco and Hermione didn't really know each other.

Next was Severus who came out and shook his head. Seeing the adult, Mr and Mrs. Granger stood up to greet them.

"Welcome to our home. I understand you are one of our daughter's Professors," Mr. Granger started holding out his hand to Severus.

"Yes, I'm Professor Snape and I teach potions. I'll be watching over Ms. Granger during her resorting. It's a pleasure to meet you," Severus said politely taking the other mans hand.

"Well, as you've probably guessed I'm Hermione's father Mark Granger and this is my wife Debra," Mr. Granger introduced.

"You said you were the potions professor? Hermione told us that she had a difficult time with that subject but she still managed to get a good grade," Mrs. Granger commented.

"That's not surprising. Potion brewing is a lot like muggle cooking, anyone can follow the recipe and make a decent potion but it takes true talent to make it perfect. Ms. Granger has an excellent mind for spell craft and other studies but potion making is more of an art than a science," Severus explained.

Mrs. Granger had looked slightly offended at first but then laughed.

"I guess you're right about that. So let me guess, you must be the Harry we've been hearing all about," she said turning her attention.

"Yes Ma'am. Nice to meet you," Harry said shaking her hand.

"How polite," Mrs. Granger beamed. She turned to Draco and gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry but I don't know who you are."

"I'm Draco Malfoy. My father was called to the school early to take care of some business so I'm tagging along. I hope you don't mind," he introduced shaking both of the elder Grangers hands.

"I heard you were close to Professor Snape. Is that why he's taking you," Hermione asked curiously. Draco nodded.

"He's kind of like my uncle who's not related to me by blood. My father left the man- house before I woke up to get things ready at the school so naturally I needed someone to escort me," Draco explained. Hermione gave him a confused look.

"Why didn't your mom take you?"

Draco paled and grew tense. Harry nervously bit his lip. Thankfully Severus was there to explain.

"I'm happy to report that that beast of a woman is no longer present in the Malfoy household. I believe that's all you need to know about that. Now, should we get going," he asked looking at all his students. Draco seemed to relax a bit but was still tense. Hermione nodded at Severus and turned back to her parents. Harry gave her a grateful smile for not asking anymore questions. Hermione may have a love of learning but when it came to people's private lives she maintained a respectful distance.

"I'll be back in time for dinner," she assured. Her parents each gave her a hug.

"Now be good and stay close to your professor," Mrs. Granger said sternly.

"I will."

Severus gave everyone their floo powder and they each took turns flooing to Hogsmead where they made their way to the castle. Harry and Ron had exchanged letters and agreed to meet up before resorting. It wasn't hard to find him and his parents standing together just outside the castle. Harry and Hermione both ran over to them. Harry gave his friend a hug before patting him on the back.

"Nervous," he asked.

"Of course not. Weasleys always go to Gryffindor house," Ron said confidently.

"Harry," Mr. Weasley greeted. "Ron's told us everything about you. How's your summer been?"

"Excellent sir."

Severus and Draco walked over to them. The Weasley parents seemed to tense slightly but kept their manners, unlike their son who glared at Draco. Harry elbowed him but all that did was get Ron to turn his glare towards him instead.

"Arthur, you know that their only resorting Ron's year today. You didn't have to bring your daughter," Severus commented dryly.

Harry hadn't noticed Ron's little sister standing next to her mother. She had been very quiet and was looking down shyly.

"Oh she wanted to come. I think she's a little nervous about her own sorting," Mrs. Weasley explained. Severus nodded in understanding.

"Well of course she is."

Everyone turned to see Lucius walking out of the castle towards them. Harry could literally feel the tension rise. He was going to have to ask Lucius about what had started the rivalry between the two families one day.

"I've never met a person who wasn't scared during their sorting ceremony. I'm sure you were the same," Lucius said dryly. Harry was starting to hate this alternate personality of his. It just wasn't him.

"Yes and I'm sure you were the exception," Mrs. Weasley sniffed.

"Of course not, I was terrified at my sorting ceremony. My father had made it very clear before I left for Hogwarts that if I was sorted into any house other than Slytherin I wouldn't be allowed back home," Lucius answered off handedly. Everyone seemed to be caught off guard by his answer.

"Anyways shall we continue on inside? We should get this mess over with," Severus suggested ushering everyone into the castle.

Harry was surprised when they entered the great hall. He had expected a line of students much like the original sorting ceremony but instead it was completely empty except for Professor McGonagall who was sitting at a table with a roll of parchment in front of her. She looked up as they entered.

"Oh my, what a crowd," she said as she stood up to greet them.

"Minerva, has there been any changes with any of the students yet," Severus asked. The new headmaster nodded.

"Nothing with your Slytherins yet but two students have had changes. I'll be sending out a list after the resorting to all the teachers and staff," she informed. McGonagall walked over to the stool and sorting hat just like she had at the original sorting ceremony.

"Ms. Granger you first," she called.

Hermione seemed nervous as she walked up to the stool and sat down. McGonagall lowered the hat onto her head and it didn't take long for it to shout, "Gryffindor!"

Hermione smiled as Harry and the Weasleys family clapped for her. She skipped back to them and they got ready for the next persons turn.

"Very good. Now Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall called.

Draco walked up to the hat as confidently as he did the first time. Harry remembered what Lucius had just said about how every first year was nervous at their sorting ceremony but Draco looked perfectly calm. Was he faking it?

"Slytherin!"

Again the hat didn't have to be placed fully on his head to make the decision. Harry, Lucius, and Severus all congratulated him. Next was Ron's turn who tried to look as confident as Draco had but Harry saw his legs shake a little. That hat placed him in Gryffindor once again and he visibly relaxed. Harry smirked and patted him on the back as he walked back over to them.

"Not nervous huh?"

"Oh, shut it Harry," Ron grumbled back half-heartedly.

"Mr. Potter."

Harry felt a twinge of nervousness but didn't let it show. This was the moment of truth. He would finally find out if he truly belonged in Gryffindor or not.

"Good luck," Ginny encouraged nervously.

Harry gave her a quick smile and walked forward. He sat down on the stool and the hat was placed on his head.

"I'm glad for this chance to redeem myself Potter. Let's have an honest sorting this time around," the hat whispered to him. It made a few humming sounds as the hat seemed to contemplate where to place him. "Hmmm. I better put you in….Slytherin!"

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: And Slytherin wins by a landslide! I kind of expected that. Some people pointed out after the last chapter that the second year does have some important moments and after thinking it over I have to agree. But I'm still skipping over most of the year. I'm putting my foot down on that! Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay tune for everyone reaction to Harry's change of house!**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Okay so some of you had some good points about the second year so I decided to include some of it. And by that I mean I refuse to do more than three chapters on it (I'm hoping only two but you never know). So anyways this became quite a long chapter so I hope you enjoy it.**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

"Slytherin," McGonagallasked.

The Weasleys looked shocked and Hermione's eyes seemed to take up half her face. Lucius was smiling and clapped lightly. Severus was smirking as well. Harry felt McGonagall take off the hat and quickly joined his new family. He didn't really know what to think. On one hand, it was cool that he would now be in the same house as Draco but on the other hand, he was no longer in the same house as Ron and Hermione. It didn't really bother him being in a different house but he hoped they would be fine with it.

"That's great Harry. I think you'll do very well in Slytherin," Severus congratulated.

"Awesome. You'll love it there Harry. Besides Crabbe everyone's nice. Pansy's kind of weird too but I think she means well," Draco said thoughtfully.

Lucius didn't say anything but ruffled Harry's hair a little. Harry looked up into the man's eyes and saw the pride sparkling just under the surface. Harry smiled at them then looked back to the others. McGonagall looked a little disappointed.

"It's sad that Gryffindor will be losing such excellent student but if it's where the sorting hat says you should go I won't argue," she said. Harry almost chuckled. At least she wasn't looking down on him.

"This doesn't make any sense," Ron said angrily. Harry stiffened. "You're a Gryffindor! Not some muggle hating snob!"

"Ron," Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"No. The hat must still be confused from the curse. Try it again," Ron insisted.

"I assure you that the hat is free of all curses and has been enchanted to that it will never be cursed again," Lucius interjected. "And I'm afraid your view on Slytherins is more than slightly skewed."

"Don't talk to my son like that," Mrs. Weasley barked.

"Molly," Mr. Weasley interrupted placing a hand on his wife's arm. "He didn't say anything insulting and he's telling the truth. I myself saw them cast the enchantment. The hat put Harry into the right house."

"So what? You're a snake now," Ron asked angrily. Harry was taken aback.

"What are you talking about? Ron, look at me. I'm the same person I was before. I'm not going to become someone different just because I'm in a different house," Harry pleaded.

"You say that now," Ron countered. He looked like he was going to say something else but Mr. Weasley grabbed his shoulder. Ron gave Harry one last glare before storming out of the great hall. Mrs. Weasley gave a hasty good bye and chased after her son. Mr. Weasley gave Harry a quick apology beore following them. Ginnny stopped and shifted a little uncomfortably.

"Um, I was nice to meet you Harry. I'm sorry about my brother, he can be a little hot headed sometimes," she said quietly.

"A little," Draco sniffed.

"It's okay. I'm sure he'll get over it," Harry said hopefully.

"I hope so. I've got to go but I'll see you at the start of term," Ginny said before turning and walking away in the direction her family went.

"That was a bit overly dramatic," McGonagall commented. "Don't you worry Harry, I'm sure that boy will come to his senses after he cools off."

Harry nodded and looked over at Hermione. She still looked a little surprised.

"I can't believe that happened," she said quietly.

"Hermione I'm sorry," Harry pleaded not wanting to have a fight with his other best friend.

"What are you apologizing for? Ron's the one being the git. I can't believe he acted like such a child," she said angrily. A wave of relief washed over Harry.

"So you're not upset?"

"I admit I was surprised but I guess it doesn't really matter. We'll still be in a lot of the same classes and I'm assuming you're still going to talk to us. I think Ron is just upset because you're close to Draco even though they have some sort of immature family feud going on. No offense Mr. Malfoy," Hermione quickly added. Lucius simply chuckled.

"That's quite alright. I personally never understood the feud and now I don't have a wife breathing down my neck I'm hoping I can at least open some kind of dialogue between us," Lucius explained with a small smile.

Harry smiled at Hermione. She was so understanding and kind. He thought about what she said about Ron. Was he really just jealous of his friendship with Draco?

"Well, we have some time on our hands before Ms. Granger is expected home. How about we go to Honeydukes down in Hogsmeade," Lucius suggested.

Harry instantly got excited. He had heard about the sweets store from Fred and George. He, of course, hadn't been allowed to go on the trips to Hogsmeade and had to ask the twins to get stuff for him. He hoped they would have time to go to Zonko's as well. He looked over at Hermione who was looking down at her feet.

"What's the matter Hermione? I thought you loved chocolate?"

"I didn't bring any money," she explained.

"Don't worry about that," Lucius said as he led the group out of the great hall. Harry waved goodbye to McGonagall who had a slight smirk on her face.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

The store wasn't as big as other's Draco had seen but it was still good. It had a good variety of sweets. He had never really been into candy but he did enjoy the occasional lollypop. He grabbed four different ones and looked over at Harry who was happily looking at all the different options. He saw Hermione standing by herself still looking uncomfortable.

"You can pick out some things. I can guarantee if you don't my dad's going to pick out some things for you and buy them anyways," he said with a smile. Hermione gave him a curious look.

"Why are you and your father being so nice to me? I thought you hated people like me," she asked.

"You mean muggleborn? When did I ever say that," he asked generally confused.

"Well, I guess," Hermione trailed of thoughtfully. "I guess you never did say that."

"I've never had anything against muggles or muggleborns. It's people like Crabbe and Pansy that make a big deal about stuff like that."

"Then why do you hang out with them?"

"I don't. I hang out with Goyle and Zabini. But the thing is you can't hang out with Goyle without Crabbe and for some reason Pansy just follows me around," Draco explained.

"Oh. Do you think she likes you," Hermione asked with a smug grin. Draco felt himself go a little green.

"Ugh. Don't even say that. She reminds me too much of Narcissa," he said in disgust. Hermione's face grew confused again.

"Who?"

"The woman who gave birth to me. I no longer acknowledge her as my mother," Draco answered. He really didn't want to talk about her right now. "So how about you go and pick out a few things. There's a lot of stuff here that I'm sure you can't get in the muggle world."

Hermione nodded and skipped off towards Harry who had picked out some chocolate frogs. Draco smiled as they talked about the candies. He was glad he could at least clear things up with Hermione. He didn't want Harry to lose friends because of him. He had felt guilty when Hermione had said that Ron was angry with Harry because they were close. If Harry lost all his friends because of him, he might start to hate Draco as well. Draco wouldn't be able to handle that. Harry was like a brother to him and it would be painful to lose him.

He noticed his dad talking with Uncle Severus by the assortment of moving gummy worms. He remembered something that he had thought about earlier and had wanted to ask them about.

"Hey dad," he said getting his attention. He walked closer to them so he could talk to him quietly. "I have a question."

"What is it Draco?"

"I thought only Harry's sorting was messed with. Why did McGonagall say that there were two other students who were resorted as well," he asked.

"Oh that's simple. You see, Draco, people do change a lot over time. Even in only a year. So even if a student is sorted into a certain house their first year, if they were to put on the sorting hat in their second or third year it is possible it would put them in a different house," his father explained.

"Then why not resort us every year?"

"That would be a rather long sorting ceremony don't you think," uncle Severus pointed out.

"I guess," Draco agreed.

"Now why don't we buy our stuff and get going? I'm sure Ms. Grangers parents are waiting for her," Lucius suggested.

After buying their candy, Harry said goodbye to Hermione who gave him a hug and even waved goodbye to Draco and his dad. Uncle Severus decided to just take her home himself while everyone else returned to the manor. Draco wasn't surprised when he and Harry were pulled into a tight group hug by his father only seconds after arriving back home.

"I'm so proud of both of you. I'm sorry I couldn't hug you before," he said.

"So you're really happy I'm in Slytherin huh," Harry mused. Lucius shook his head.

"That's not what I meant. I would be happy with whatever house you ended up in. I'm just happy I could be there for your sorting," the older man explained with a grin on his face.

"Thanks papa."

"Thanks dad."

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

The rest of the summer seemed to go by fast and before he knew it Harry had received his Hogwarts letter with a list of his classes and what he was going to need. He and Draco were a little disappointed when Lucius told them they could not go to Diagon Alley. He explained that with Narcissa still on the loose it he didn't want the boys out in a public place. So in the end the boys were left alone while the men went out and bought their stuff. Severus left the manor a few days before the boys to set up his classroom for the new term. Lucius escorted the boys to the train station where he gave them both hugs and helped them with their bags.

Harry felt a little weird sitting at the Slytherin table. Several Slytherins were giving him weird looks and a few glares. Harry was thankful that Draco and Blaise were there. Blaise seemed like an easygoing guy and Harry could already tell they would be good friends. Goyle had been a little more hesitant to accept him but Harry suspected that would change in time. Crabbe had been absolutely livid but was luckily staying quiet for now.

Harry looked over to the Gryffindor table. Several of them were giving him dirty looks and others were just plain ignoring him. He let out a sad sigh. Ron was still refusing to talk to him unless it was to throw an insult or two at him. Hermione assured Harry that she would talk to him. Ginny had given him a friendly wave from her place at the Gryffindor table. It was strange how she was so friendly to him despite only meeting him once. Harry took a few more bites of his meal and glanced at the head table. It was weird to see Professor McGonagall sitting in the Headmasters spot. He looked over at the two new professors. Professor Lockhart seemed a little weird but apparently he had a lot of experience in the field when it came to dark wizards and creatures so he might be interesting. Professor Lupin, the new transfigurations teacher seemed like a very nice guy. He kept glancing over at the Slytherin's table but Harry wasn't sure what or who he was looking at. Severus was eating his meal quietly without talking to any of the other teachers. Harry looked down at his own plate which didn't have much on it. He was still a little nervous about seeing the Slytherin common room and dormitories. Draco had told him a lot about it over the summer but Harry figured it was something one had to see for themselves to get the full effect.

"So Harry, how did you do it," Pansy asked out of the blue. Harry looked up at her. She was sitting across from him, Draco, and Blaise.

"Do what?"

"Bribe the hat into putting you in Slytherin," she clarified in a sickly sweet tone. Harry felt his eyes widen.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about. The hat placed me her because it said this was where I belong," Harry explained trying to stay calm.

"Impossible. There is no way the hat would put a worm with us serpents. You don't belong here," the girl hissed. Harry could see some other Slytherins nod in agreement.

"Pansy, shut up," Draco warned.

"What? Don't tell me you actually approve of this," Pansy asked shifting her attention. Harry noticed that a lot of students around them had stopped eating and were listening in on the conversation. Harry couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

"What gave it away? The fact that I've been sitting with him? Talking to him? Or was it when introduced him to my friends and told them that Harry was a good friend of mine and I want them to get along?"

Draco glowered at the girl who looked like she was unable to process what he had said.

"But you can't be friends! You're a pureblood with wealth and prestige and he's nothing but a poor orphan with a mudblood for a mother."

Draco shot out of his chair and stood over the girl. Harry could almost see flames in his eyes. The entire great hall went silent. Even the teachers were watching the scene.

"Don't you dare insult him or his mother like that again you pug-faced wretch and you have no right to say anything about who my friends are. If you can't learn to get over yourself then I suggest you stay out of my sight from now on," he said loudly and clearly. Harry heard a few whispers spread throughout the whole room but otherwise not a sound was made. Draco took a quick glance around the room and composed himself.

"I've lost my appetite," he said as he turned to make his way out of the great hall. Harry was too shocked at first to move. He felt a hand gently pat him to get his attention.

"We better go after him," Blaise said quietly getting up from the table as well.

Harry and Blaise made their way out of the hall and Harry heard voices instantly grow loud as the other students started to discuss what had just happened. The quickly ran after Draco who was speed walking towards the dungeons. He was absolutely pissed.

"Hey man, slow down, no one's coming after us," Blaise called.

Draco stopped and turned to Harry. He had a sad look in his eyes as he pulled him into a hug. Harry was surprised at the sudden action but returned the hug.

"I'm sorry," Draco practically whispered.

"For what," Harry asked. Draco pulled himself out of the hug and began to let everything out.

"Pansy said those awful things about you and your mother."

"Draco, it's not your fault she said those things and to be honest I didn't understand what she called my mother," Harry said trying to be comforting.

"You've never heard mudblood before? It basically means dirty blood. Purebloods like Pansy use it to describe muggleborns because it makes them feel superior," Blaise explained. "And she's an idiot for calling you poor. Everyone knows that the Potter family is a very wealthy family."

Harry hadn't heard about his family's wealth before but decided to ignore the comment for now.

"It doesn't matter what a mudblood is. As long as Draco understands that what just happened wasn't his fault. Do you understand," Harry asked him.

Draco let out a long sigh.

"I guess."

"Good now we have that drama out of the way let's head to the dorms. I want to get to our rooms before everyone else shows up. I don't want to be bombarded with questions about that little scene you had," Blaise said walking ahead of them.

The Slytherin common room was definitely different from the Gryffindor one. The Gryffindor common room had a warm home-like feel. This place was a lot of things but 'warm' was definitely not one of them. The sofas were dark green and black. There were a few other tables and chairs where students could study. There were large stone columns and the lights from gothic style chandeliers were green. There were a few tapestries of famous wizards who had been in Slytherin. The large stone fireplace was already lit. Harry looked around, despite being so different from Gryffindor, this place was nice. It wasn't what most people would describe as homey but after living in Malfoy manor for almost an entire summer Harry had gotten used to places like this. He listened to the sound of swirling water that could be heard from Black Lake. It was very calming, especially after what had just happened.

"So what do you say? Are you going to miss sleeping in the tower princess," Blaise teased. Harry smirked and shoved him playfully.

Draco rolled his eyes at them and led Harry into the boy's dormitory where He was happy to see that it was split up into different rooms. Hopefully he had one without Crabbe. His prayers were answered and he found his stuff in a room with Draco and Blaise. They each had a single four-poster bed with green sheets. Harry briefly wondered what the Slytherin's obsession with green was about. Harry fell onto his bed. He looked over at Draco and Blaise who were busy getting their things ready for their classes that started the next day. Harry sighed as he got up and began to do the same.

He couldn't help but wonder how Lucius was doing without them. Even though the man tried to hide it, Harry still saw how sad and lonely he was when he dropped them off at the train station. He hoped that Lucius had at least one friend to talk to while they were at school.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Severus was putting the last of his ingredients on the shelves before he would retire for the night. He thought back on the incident at dinner and made a mental note to have a chat with Draco and Harry the next day to find out what happened. Draco would never make a scene like that unless something had really upset him. A small knock on the classroom door caught Severus' attention and he turned to greet the person. He sighed as he saw Remus in the open doorway. He should have expected this.

"Good evening Professor Lupin. How are you settling in," he drawled.

"Very well, I am grateful for this chance. It's hard for a person like me to get a job," the man commented walking further into the classroom.

"I can imagine but it's nothing to worry about. Me and the other professors will make sure no one finds out about your… condition."

"I appreciate it. I'm glad you don't hold a grudge after what I almost did to you," Remus said uncomfortably.

"That wasn't your fault. You had no control. It was James and Sirius who took their prank too far that night. I'm glad they learned their lesson before someone really got hurt," Severus said thinking back on the incident. Seeing Severus almost get killed because of them had woken up the two bullies and they became aware of what they had been doing. They had been very apologetic to Severus after that night and completely stopped bullying him. That did not mean they stopped pranking him but at least the pranks were far less cruel and they started pranking other people besides the young Slytherin.

"Yes I am too. I miss them so much."

Severus looked at Remus who seemed to be stalling.

"Remus, I think we both know what you really came here to talk about so let's get on with it," he urged the werewolf.

"Yes, McGonagall told me about Harry's custody transfer shortly before hiring me. I was more than a little disgusted when I heard about the way he had been treated by those muggles and the wolf inside me wanted to tear Dumbledore apart for sending him there in the first place," Remus started. Severus smirked at the comment about the old man. "I couldn't believe that you had done so much to give Harry a second chance and I'm grateful to you. James and Lily were my friends and if I were able I would have protected Harry myself, but as you know it was impossible for me to take him."

Severus nodded in understanding. There was no way a child that young would have been safe with a werewolf.

"I want you to take good care of him. If I find out that you've hurt him in any way I won't hold back," the man growled threateningly. Severus felt a cold chill go through him but quickly hid it.

"I would never hurt that boy. Since I have met him he has become the most important thing in the world to me and I won't let anything harm him," he assured. Remus accepted this. "But I feel I should tell you I'm not really a parental figure for Harry, even though I'm his legal guardian."

Remus gave him a confused look and asked for clarification.

"I'm sure you remember Lucius Malfoy. He seems to have all but legally adopted Harry as his own son. Harry is a part of that family as much as I am and really looks up to him. I just felt you should know since he's important to you as well," Severus explained. The werewolf smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that. Harry needs to know what family love feels like. I see he's close to Draco as well."

"They're like brothers."

"That's good," Remus murmured. Severus watched him shift his weight uncomfortably.

"Is there something else you wish to discuss with me," he prodded.

Remus shifted again under Severus' gaze. He seemed to be thinking about what he said next.

"I have a favor to ask of you. Well you and Lucius Malfoy.I've heard he's very influential in the ministry," Remus said looking as if the words had choked him on the way out of his mouth.

"I'm afraid it will take more than Lucius Malfoy to change the current laws on werewolves," Severus said sadly. Remus shook his head.

"No I wasn't going to ask about that. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind helping someone else get a second chance?"

Severus straightened. He knew exactly what the werewolf wanted him and Lucius to do and that the request was rather pointless.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

This was getting ridiculous. Between Pansy, Crabbe, and Ron, Harry had just about enough of all the snide comments and insults. Severus had talked to both him and Draco after class the first day of school about their first encounter with Pansy and had told them if the teasing went too far to go straight to him. Harry had told him that what she said hadn't bothered him, which was true at first. But when both her and Crabbe take turns insulting him whenever they saw him (which was a lot considering they were in the same house), it would make even the most easy going of guys want to slaughter everyone who dares to talk to him. It seemed that not even the Halloween feast could get Crabbe to fill his mouth with something other than nasty words.

In the end Harry had decided to leave early. He had already eaten everything he wanted to anyways. Draco told him he would be right behind him so Harry slowed his pace so he would be able to catch up. He looked down all the other empty hallways and passages that he passed and shuddered. Walking in an empty part of the castle always reminded him of the night of the Quirrell incident. It left him with a creeped out feeling. He would start to see things dash into dark corners but he knew it was just his imagination getting ahead of him.

"Although," he said to himself as he stopped walking. "I've never imagined hearing things before."

It was a sickly whisper. Harry leaned closer to the wall to listen better. It sounded like it was in the walls.

"Kill, kill, KILL," it whispered as Harry started to run to follow the voice.

He literally ran into Draco and Hermione as they rounded a corner.

"Harry, I was just coming to see if you were all right," Hermione said straightening herself out. Draco narrowed his eyes at him.

"What's wrong?"

"Did you guys hear that," Harry asked looking around at the walls. He could still hear the voice.

"Hear what," Draco asked.

"That voice."

"Voice? What voice," Hermione asked with wide eyes.

The voice seemed to be fading.

"It's moving," Harry concluded before beginning to chase after it again. "I think it's going to kill."

"Kill," Hermione squeaked as she began to follow him.

The three ran into a hallway that had water all over the floor. Harry slowed down as a reflection caught his eye. He felt his heart stop as he looked up the wall to see a cryptic message. He heard Hermione gasp.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware," Hermione read out loud.

"It's written in blood. That's disturbing," Draco commented.

"How do you know it's blood," Hermione asked.

Draco simply pointed over to the side of the wall where they saw Filches cat, unmoving and hanging by its tail. Harry slowly moved forward towards the feline.

"Mrs. Norris?"

Harry's attention was diverted by the sound of many footsteps approaching the area. Dinner had apparently been let out and the students who were expecting to return to their dorms like every other day were met with the ghastly sight. Harry looked around at them. He noticed Madame Pomfrey covering her mouth with her hands in shock.

The other professors were quick to arrive but unfortunately not before Filch did and accused Harry of murdering the poor cat. Harry had been so shocked and scared that he was unable to say anything in his defense. Luckily Severus was quick to pull Filch away from him while McGonagall sent all the students to their houses. Madame Pomfrey walked over to Mrs. Norris and inspected her.

"She's not dead Argus," the woman announced. "But she has been petrified."

"Ah, knew it. So unlucky I wasn't there. I know the exact counter curse that could have spared her," Lockhart somewhat boasted. Everyone gave him a skeptical look. As the school days passed, it had become more and more clear that the stories of the man's accomplishments were either falsified or greatly exaggerated.

"Now, what where you three doing here," McGonagall asked turning her attention back to the three students.

"Well, I had left dinner early because Crabbe was getting on my nerves. I decided to walk slow since Draco said he would be right behind me," Harry explained.

"I noticed Harry leave and saw that Draco was also leaving early so I followed them to make sure that everything was alright. Draco and I had just found Harry when he..," Hermione trailed off.

"Yes," Severus prodded.

"When I said I wasn't hungry," Harry lied. Severus gave him a look and Harry felt his stomach turn. He had never lied to the man before but he thought that if he told the professors that he was hearing voices they would probably just accuse him of lying anyways. That or ship him off to St. Mungos.

"Innocent until proven guilty," McGonagall decided.

"He murdered my cat," Filch said angrily. He faced the group of professors and began yelling. "I want to see some punishment."

Harry felt his heart clench at the pained look on the man's face. **(AN: Seriously, watch the movie. Filch makes a face that made me want to hug him.)**

"Calm down Argus. Madame Sprout is currently growing a fresh batch of mandrakes which will revive her," McGonagall comforted. "In the meantime, I strongly recommend caution to everyone."

Harry and the others were then dismissed while the teachers discussed the actions they would be taking. Harry was quiet as they walked. Draco kept looking around as if he expected to be attacked at any moment.

"Isn't it weird," Hermione asked.

"What," Harry responded.

"You hear this strange voice, than Mrs. Norris turns up petrified. It's just weird," Hermione commented. Draco nodded in agreement.

"Do you think I should have said something," Harry asked still feeling guilty.

"No Harry. Even in the wizarding world, hearing voices isn't a good sign," Hermione said worriedly.

The boys parted ways with her as she made her way to Gryffindor tower. She assured them that they didn't need to escort her all the way and they reluctantly agreed. Harry and Draco began to make their way to their dorm.

"You know I'm worried about you too," Draco said breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Look I know how it sounds but I swear I'm not crazy. I've never heard voices until tonight," Harry defended. Draco shook his head.

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about you common sense," he clarified. Harry gave him a confused look.

"What are you talking about?"

"When you met up with me and Hermione you said that you thought that the voice was meaning to kill right?"

Harry nodded. Draco gave him an exasperated look.

"Then why in the hell were you _following_ it?!"

Harry stopped in his tracks. He hadn't even realized he did that. He had just been worried about whoever the voice's victim would be. He hadn't even considered that he could have been the victim.

"I wasn't thinking," he concluded.

"Obviously. So from now on if you hear a voice saying it's going to kill someone, please try to avoid it."

"I will. Who do you think did it," Harry asked hoping Draco would have at least some kind of clue.

"No idea. I'm hoping it was just some kind of sick prank," Draco admitted.

"Have you heard of the Chamber of Secrets?"

"No but that's probably because it was a secret."

Harry burst out laughing and gave Draco a shove. Leave it to him to make a smart ass comment even in the tensest of situations.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

It had been a little more than a week since the incident on Halloween night. Everyone was still a little paranoid about it but Harry figured as long as he stuck with his friends everything would be alright. He looked around the school grounds where students were walking around enjoying the last moments of fall. Harry sat down next to a large tree and continued to wait for Hermione, Draco, and perhaps Blaise to show up. Hermione and Draco were finishing up an assignment that Harry had shockingly already completed. It was the first time ever that Harry had been able to do so. He reveled in the feeling of accomplishment while it lasted.

"Hello Harry."

Harry looked over to see Neville practically running up to him. Neville had been one of the Gryffindors that wasn't bothered by Harry's move and had continued to be his friend. It wasn't like they hung out all the time but they did talk quite a bit.

"Hey Neville. You going to hang out with us today," Harry asked.

"Hang out? I didn't know you were waiting for people. I just saw you over here by yourself and thought I'd come over. I can leave if you want," he answered hurriedly.

"No that's fine. You can stay as long as you don't mind Draco and Blaise being around."

"Draco's coming," Neville asked looking a little nervous. Harry gave him a confused look. A lot of people seemed to have that reaction when they talk about the Malfoy's but Harry thought Neville liked Draco or at least didn't mind him.

"Yeah. Is that a problem?"

"No not at all. Mind if I sit down with you," Neville asked still looking a little nervous. Harry gave him a friendly smile hoping it would help him relax.

"Not at all."

Harry and Neville talked for a while about everything from their summers to potions class. Harry gave Neville a few pointers on things he should avoid mixing together in his potions. Neville was more than thankful for the tips. Harry and Neville both jumped when they heard a Ravenclaw girl scream. She seemed to be backing away from something and her friends were cowering in fear. Harry and Neville rushed over along with several other nearby students.

"It's so disgusting," one of the girls cried.

"Kill it," another girl demanded.

Harry noticed Ron along with Seamus and Dean walked up to the group. Harry looked down in the grass to see a foot long bright green snake coiled up and looking up at them. Harry guessed it was a grass snake.

"Why would you want to kill it? Did it bite one of you," Neville asked.

"No but I bet it would have if I didn't notice it," the girl who had screamed accused.

"I wouldn't have bit you. Not unless you stepped on me," the snake hissed. Harry was surprised to hear the female snake's voice. He had talked to a snake before so he wasn't surprised when this one spoke but it surprised him that the voice sounded like a small child. It looked pretty long for a hatchling but then again Harry didn't really know a lot about snakes.

"You need to kill it. If you don't it'll lay eggs and we'll be surrounded by snakes or even worse, it'll get into the castle and lay eggs there," Seamus pointed out. The girls shuddered at the thought. Ron picked up a stick.

"What are you going to do with that," Neville asked in a concerned voice.

"I'm going to pick it up and throw it in the lake," the red head answered.

The snake let out a scared hiss and began to slither away. Before Harry could even move Ron had used the stick to pin down her head while he used his other hand to pick up her body.

"Please don't hurt me. Momma," the snack hissed frantically. Harry couldn't believe Ron. How could he ignore such heartbreaking cries?

"Let her go," he ordered. Ron stopped all actions and looked back at him.

"Her?"

"What is it Potter? You hate to see a fellow snake put in its place," Seamus laughed.

"I said let her go Ron you have no right to hurt her," Harry repeated not listening to the others.

"What the bloody hell does it matter? What could one less snake do? Besides it's probably better to get rid of it before it bites someone, it could be poisonous," Ron snapped before throwing the snake into the lake.

Harry practically ripped off his cloak as he ran forward. He pushed Ron to the ground as he jumped in after her. He wasn't sure if snakes could swim but didn't want to take the chance. He also knew that the water was probably freezing which couldn't be good for the cold blooded animal. He was thankful for her bright color because it made her easier to find in the water. She made a snake-like gagging sound as Harry pulled her out. She immediately began to coil around his arm. She looked up at him with beady little eyes. Harry walked back to the shore before they were attacked by one of the creatures that lived in the lake. Everyone was silent as Harry walked past them to his discarded cloak.

"Here let me wrap you in this so you warm up," he said comfortingly as he sat the snake on top of it. He heard the others behind him gasp but he wasn't sure why. Was it really that shocking he would want to warm the snake up?

"Thank you. You're very nice to help me. I know that humans don't like us very much," the snake hissed shyly as she coiled up further into the cloak.

"You don't have to worry about them bothering you anymore. I'll talk to them," Harry assured. He turned around to see everyone staring wide eyed at him. Harry saw that Draco and Hermione, who must have just shown up as he was wrapping the snake up, were giving him weird looks as well. He was about to ask everyone what was wrong with them when he noticed Severus approaching the group.

"Potter! Tell me I did not just see you jump into the Black Lake at this time of year," he yelled as he approached.

"He's a parselmouth," one of the Ravenclaw girls squeaked which seemed to catch Severus off guard.

"I'm a what," Harry asked. Was this some kind of new insult they came up with?

"Harry you just talked to that snake. Since when could you speak to snakes," Draco asked.

"I don't know. I talked to a snake once before my first year but so what? I bet loads of people can do it," Harry said feeling very confused.

"Are you an idiot," Seamus asked.

"Okay that's enough. I want all of you to disperse immediately while I take Potter to the hospital wing to make sure he didn't get himself sick with his little stunt," Severus ordered.

"Can I bring her with me," Harry asked picking up his bundled up cloak and showing Severus the snake resting inside of it. "She was in the water too and I want to make sure she warms up properly."

"You can't take that thing into the school," one of the girls screeched.

"I said leave! Before I start deducting points," Severus commanded in a deadly tone. Everyone except Hermione, Draco, and a trembling Neville scurried away from the menacing potions master. Severus relaxed a little but still looked tense.

"Yes you can bring…her, but don't you dare let her out of your sight," Severus warned as he began escorting the group back to the castle. "We're going to have a little chat about that snake."

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: Heehee. I had to come up with a different way for everyone to find out Harry was a parseltongue because as one of you pointed out, Draco isn't going to try to set a snake on Harry in this story. Well I hope you guys enjoyed this. Hopefully my next chapter will be the last about this year. Coming up in the next chapter, Harry makes a new snake bff and Severus talks to Lucius about Remus' request!**


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: I can't believe I wrote this chapter so fast! I doubt any of you are going to complain about it though. Unfortunately I've failed to fit all of second year into two chapters like I wanted. *smacks self in face* Oh well. I will definitely finish it next time. I noticed that someone asked me in one of the reviews why Remus was at Hogwarts even though it's the second year. The answer is because I didn't want to come up with a new teacher and he really needed a job. Heehee. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Harry sat on the hospital bed and quietly let Madame Pomfrey inspect him. Severus and the others waited quietly. Harry was more than grateful for the drying charm which made him feel warm again.

"You're going to be just fine Potter but I must know why you thought it was necessary to go swimming in the black lake this time of year," Madame Pomfrey asked stepping back to get a better look at him. Harry could feel a lecture coming.

"It's not his fault. The girls got scared by this snake and started saying we should kill it. Ron threw it in the lake to drown it and Harry just went after it," Neville explained. The nurse looked confused.

"While I agree that the treatment of any animal in such a way is detestable I don't understand why you would go so far for one snake. You know there are creatures in that lake not to mention how sick you could have gotten. Was it really necessary to risk your life," Madame Pomfrey commented.

"But she was screaming! I couldn't let her die. She sounded like a little girl," Harry argued. Madame Pomfrey looked taken aback by Harry's outburst.

"Screaming," she asked.

"It seems Potter has the gift of parseltongue," Severus explained. "So while everyone else just saw a snake, he saw a girl about to be killed. Am I right?"

Harry nodded. He looked over at the cloak bundle where the snake still slept. He couldn't let her die, especially when she was screaming for her mother. It seemed to make sense that no one else was able to understand her. Even though he could be a major prat sometimes, Harry knew Ron wouldn't have tried to hurt the snake if he heard it begging for its life. Even the girls would probably be a lot less afraid of her if they heard the snake's child-like voice.

"Oh my. That's a very rare gift. I'll have to tell McGonagall about it. She would love to hear about it," the nurse chatted.

"Wait Harry," Draco asked getting his attention. "You said that snake sounded like a little girl? So she's a hatchling?"

"I guess. She was even crying for her mother. Well, she was crying for mama," Harry corrected.

"Oh," Hermione moaned sadly. "We have to find her mother Harry! She's probably in the forbidden forest somewhere."

"Don't you guys think it's a little weird that a hatchling is already a foot long," Draco asked.

"Do you still have her," Madame Pomfrey asked.

Harry carefully unfolded his cloak to reveal the light green reptile. She opened her eyes and looked around. She slithered closer to Harry when she saw all the other humans staring at her. She looked up at Harry.

"Please don't let them hurt me. You're a fellow snake too right," she asked in a pleading tone.

"Why would you think that," Harry asked.

"Because you speak our language. So that means you're a snake."

Harry smirked and translated for everyone else present before explaining.

"Actually, I'm just a wizard with the special ability to speak to snakes but don't worry. No one's going to hurt you here and I'll protect you from the others," Harry promised. The snake seemed to accept this but still stayed close to his side.

"Oh my. That's no ordinary grass snake you have there Potter. That's an Aesculapian snake. They're extremely rare in the British Isles," Madame Pomfrey explained after closer examination.

"I think I've heard about those," Hermione said. "Those are the ones that are named after the Greek god of medicine. They're the ones on the muggle medical emblem wrapped around the staff."

"That's right. May I take a closer look," Madame Pomfrey asked.

"Of course," Harry offered.

Madame Pomfrey waved her wand over the snake. She looked like she was concentrating on something than smiled.

"She's in good health and from what I can tell she was hatched on school grounds, which is very exciting."

"Why's that," Draco prodded.

"It means that her body absorbed some of the schools magic. You see when Aesculapian snakes are in contact with magic at birth they gain certain abilities that are quite remarkable. They're able to find any healing herbs or plants in the wild no matter how hard they are to find, they have rejuvenating magic, and they live a very long time. Some are even said to be able to heal their masters of all wounds with a single bite. This is a very special girl."

"I like her," the snake hissed. Harry chuckled and translated for the nurse.

"Well I'm very glad to hear that. Although, I do have some bad news."

Everyone in the room leaned forward. Severus looked as if he already knew which he probably did considering that it sounds like these snakes would be popular among healers and potions masters.

"These snakes are protected by both English muggle laws and the ministry. They're not endangered since there are many all around Europe but they are still rare here in Britain," the nurse explained.

"So like I suggested earlier we should take her back to her mother," Hermione concluded.

"Actually it's the opposite. There are no laws against taking them from the wild but you are not allowed to release them. The laws are a little vague but I believe that's how it was worded."

"So we can't return her to her mom," Hermione asked looking like she wanted to cry. Harry understood why. He also felt bad about purposely denying a child from being with their parent.

"No I'm afraid not Ms. Granger. In fact we need to send a report to the ministry that we have one here," Severus cut in.

"Um excuse me."

Harry looked down at the snake who was looking up at him.

"Yes," Harry asked politely.

"I was really scared earlier so I cried for mama like I usually do but I don't think she's around anymore," the snake said quietly.

"What do you mean? Where did she go?"

"She went to get food for me and my brothers and sisters two sunny times ago and never came back. We all decided to split up and look for food ourselves. My brothers and sisters went into the place with a lot of trees while I went towards the water to look for lizards," the snake answered.

"Oh, so she's missing."

"She went to the tree place. It's dangerous there right? That's why I don't go but my siblings didn't listen to me."

"Hey Harry, care to translate," Draco asked.

Harry hadn't realized he slipped into the other language again.

"She says she called for her mother on instinct but she hasn't seen her in two days. It sounds like she went into the Forbidden Forest and never came back. All her brothers and sisters went there too," he explained.

"I don't think we'll be seeing any of them again," Severus commented.

Harry looked down at the now depressed snake. She really didn't have anywhere to go and winter was coming soon. She was going to need a home.

"Um, Professor Snape. She really doesn't have anywhere to go. Can I watch over her until we find a home for her," he asked. Severus gave him a small smile.

"I had a feeling you were going to ask that. As long as she agrees I don't see a problem with it. It would have been a different story if she was poisonous but since she is the opposite I believe it will be fine. I will however need to talk to the headmistress about it," he said thoughtfully.

"Try not to scare her. I heard Minerva is simply terrified of snakes," Madame Pomfrey piped in. Severus nodded his head.

"So I believe it was Ron Weasley who tried to kill her. Was there anyone else," he asked looking directly at Harry and Neville. Neville shivered under the intense gaze.

"Seamus was the one who really suggested it although the girls were screaming for us to do it as well but I think that was just normal squeamishness," Harry answered.

"I will also be discussing their punishment as well," Severus said as he turned to leave. He stopped when he was almost out of the room and turned back around. "Keep that snake close and safe. I'll have one of the schools house elves bring some food for her to your room."

"Thank you."

"So Harry, what's her name," Neville asked.

"Oh, I never asked," Harry realized. He looked down at the little snake. "What's your name."

"My momma named me Euryale. Am I really going to be staying with you," she asked.

"Yes if you want to," Harry answered.

"I think I'd like that. You keep me warm and safe."

Harry smiled down at Euryale as she slithered into his lap and closer to his body heat. He looked back up at the others.

"She says her mother named her Euryale."

"Let me guess. She has two other sisters and she's the second oldest," Draco asked before Hermione could open her mouth.

"The sparkly haired one knows my family?"

Harry burst out laughing as everyone else gave him curious, or in Draco's case annoyed, looks. Harry translated what the snake had asked as well as what she called Draco.

"My hair doesn't sparkle," Draco pouted while Hermione laughed.

"Actually when you walk outside it shines so much it sometimes looks like it sparkles," Neville commented. Draco gave him a glare which made Neville's face turn red. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that."

Both Harry and Hermione laughed even harder. This had turned out to be a rather good day.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

"I..I suppose there's no helping it. Harry can keep the snake," Minerva said wincing at her own words. "But it better stay with him at all times. I will not have it slithering about the castle where it can get hurt!"

"You mean where it can get into your office," Severus smirked. The headmistress glared at him. Severus was enjoying having her for a boss instead of Dumbledore. It was much easier to talk to her about these kinds of things.

"Anyways, on to more pressing matters. Mr. Weasley and Mr. Finnigan's punishment. I will write to both of their guardians and they will serve three weeks of detention. Oh, and please inform them that twenty-five points will be taken out of Gryffindor for each of them. Also take ten points out from the houses of the girls who egged them on, each. I want it clear that violence towards any animal will not be tolerated at Hogwarts. Especially if it's as defenseless as this one was," Minerva decided. Severus nodded his head. It was a fair punishment.

"I will also be having a talk with the boys myself," he informed.

"I figured you would but do not give them any further punishment unless they backtalk you," Minerva instructed. Severus agreed. Minerva cleared her throat which seemed to be her signal that she was going to talk about non-school related topics. "I haven't heard from Dumbledore lately."

"He's lying low. They were just barely able to cover up for him during the whole fiasco this past summer so he's playing it safe," Severus explained emotionlessly. Minerva sighed.

"Yes I suppose you're right. I sent him a letter about the attack on Mrs. Norris and the message so I expected to at least receive a response," she explained.

"I was never able to figure out what was going through that man's head," Severus commented. He really didn't want to talk about this. He was happy when the women dismissed him. He walked back to his rooms and thought about what he was going to say to those Gryffindor idiots after their next class with him. His thoughts also drifted towards Harry and his newfound parseltongue ability. He smiled a little at the memory of watching him talk to that snake. It was odd. During his days as a spy he would often see the Dark Lord talk to his pet snake and it always sounded dark and unnatural but with Harry it sounded almost pleasant. Severus knew what others would think when they heard of this. It would probably scare them. Their Chosen One sharing such a trait with one of the darkest wizards of all time. He would have to keep a close eye on the situation. Hopefully he was just overreacting. Severus' thoughts briefly drifted to Lucius and whether or not he would be okay with Harry's new pet when he realized something.

"Damn," he cursed to himself. He had forgotten to tell Harry to meet him in his rooms next Saturday. He would have to tell him Monday.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry walked past the portrait that led to Severus' chambers. Euryale was coiled up comfortably around his neck just under his robes. She loved being close to his body heat, especially at this time of year. She seemed to be adjusting happily to her new life as Harry's familiar. She loved looking around at all the other students when Harry was in class and she would quietly listen during lectures almost as if she herself were a student. It seems having a snake as a pet made you more of a Slytherin because more people in his house were talking to him now and more Gryffindors were avoiding him but Ron seemed to stay exactly how he was before the parseltongue incident. He was no better but he didn't get worse. He did look a little guilty for almost killing the snake when he overheard Harry tell Blaise that she was just a hatchling but didn't say anything. Hermione researched Aesculapian Snakes and told Harry that they normally grew to about four feet in length but could grow up to six. He worried a little about that but it seemed like they didn't get thick bodies as they grew so he would still be able to carry her. She would probably be very upset if he couldn't.

"Hello Harry. You're right on time," Severus greeted holding a tray of teacups. Harry noticed there were four.

"Harry," a loud voice squealed. Harry was pulled into a hug by none other than Lucius. Harry smiled brightly at him.

"Papa! I didn't know you were going to be here too. How have you been," he asked.

"Bored but it seems like I'll be getting busy soon so it's alright. The ministry has officially stopped looking for Dobby so he's back at the manor," Lucius answered happily.

"That's great to hear. Will Draco be joining us soon," Harry asked indicating the number of teacups.

"Actually no. I came here so both Severus and I can have a talk with you," Lucius admitted sitting down on the large couch. He patted the seat next to him and Harry sat down as well followed by Severus.

"Then who else is coming," Harry asked pointing to the cups on the table.

"Oh no one. This is an herbal tea so I poured a cup for Euryale as well," Severus explained. Euryale popped her head out from under Harry's cloak at the mention of her name.

"Stormy, you call that one papa? He looks like Sparkles," she commented looking at Lucius. Euryale seemed to have a weird habit of coming up with her own names for people and even called Harry Stormy because of his scar. Harry had been confused at first but he was slowly getting used to it.

"Oh, let me introduce you. This is Draco's father Lucius. I call him papa because he's the closest thing to a father I've ever had but my real dad is dead. Papa this it Euryale, my familiar," Harry introduced making a conscious effort not to slip into parseltongue.

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful snake," Lucius complemented.

"He's nice. I like Papa," Euryale said as she slithered out of Harry's cloak and down his arm to the coffee table. Severus placed a teacup in front of her and she used her tongue to sip it.

"You're going to call him papa too," Harry asked with a smirk on his face. Lucius chuckled.

"Yup. I like this drink. Thank you Majesty."

Euryale had named Severus Majesty after Harry had told her that he was the one in charge of the Slytherin students. She explained it was because he was, "The king of the snakes."

"She says thanks for the tea," Harry translated.

"I heard about what you did for her Harry, and I'm so proud of you for sticking up for her," Lucius said giving Harry another one armed hug.

"Thanks but it's really not that great. Anyone would have done the same if they could understand her," Harry said shyly.

"Yes, it would be hard to ignore a little girl's screams but I have a feeling that you would have done the same thing even if you couldn't understand her."

"Maybe," Harry admitted. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, Harry do you remember the photo album I gave to you for Christmas last year," Severus asked. Harry nodded.

"I have it in my dorm right now."

"Well I don't know if you've looked at it since the start of school and looked at the pictures of your father and his friends," Severus said waiting for some kind of answer.

"No I haven't. I forgot their names," Harry admitted.

"Well it was your father, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin," Lucius listed.

"Professor Lupin?"

"The very same. He has been somewhat nervous to talk to you now since he hadn't seen you since you were a baby," Severus explained. Harry nodded to himself.

"I guess that makes sense."

"Well, Harry this is where it gets a little hard to explain. Do you remember what your parent will said about your custody," Severus asked. Harry felt a light bulb in his head turn on.

"Oh yeah. It said you were supposed to share custody of me with Sirius Black. But didn't you say he was in jail?"

"Yes but he was never given a trial and the evidence against him was very weak. People just wanted someone to blame for what had happened and Sirius was the most convenient person," Severus explained.

"I don't understand. What happened?"

"Harry," Lucius said taking his hand. "When we found out that You Know Who was after you and your parents went into hiding. The night your parents died, someone tipped off the death eaters to their location."

Harry was stunned. His parents were betrayed? And his father's friend was blamed for it?

"I see."

His voice came out dry and cracked.

"No one really knew what happened but they did knew that only your parents closest friends knew where they were hiding. The day after your parents died, it was reported that Sirius had attacked and killed your father's other friend Peter Pettigrew in front of many muggles so it was assumed that he was the traitor."

"He…killed his friend," Harry asked. His voice was shaking now. Why hadn't he heard of this before? Was there anything else that he hadn't been told?

"Harry, you need to listen to me," Severus said sternly. "Everything about those accusations is complete shit. Don't interrupt me Lucius."

Lucius closed his mouth without saying anything about Severus' swearing.

"Sirius was your father's best friend and was also your godfather. He loved your father like a brother much like Lucius and I. There is no doubt in my mind that Sirius would have died before betraying your parents. Peter on the other hand was nothing more than a spineless coward who would do anything to save himself. I know that if Sirius were to get a fair trial, he would be found innocent of all charges."

Harry looked into Severus' eyes and took his words as fact.

"But, didn't he still kill Pettigrew," he asked. "I don't think they would let him go for that."

"There was no body. All they could find of the man was a finger so really all they have against Black is a case of using magic in front of muggles which at the most is a five year sentence. I think he's served more than enough time," Lucius said confidently.

"So you're going to get him out," Harry asked. He still wasn't sure how he felt about the whole thing.

"Yes. It seems Lupin has made a special request for us to look into the case," Lucius explained. "A pointless request really. I was going to do it anyways. I wanted to get him out of there right after he was sentenced because we all knew it was wrong but I was told that I wasn't allowed to do anything since it was a conflict of interest."

"What do you mean?"

"Narcissa is his cousin. They didn't get along by any means but the ministry still said it looked like nepotism for me to get him out which would have made the ministry look very bad at the time."

"Okay. I think I understand. If you guys say he's innocent than I believe you. I would love to meet him after he gets out," Harry said with a slight smile.

"You definitely will. Once Black is found innocent he will also obtain the right to act as your legal guardian but that's between him and Sirius," Lucius winked.

Harry smiled. It had been quite a shock to hear about his parents being betrayed but he loved the idea of having his supposed godfather around. It seemed like his new family was growing quite a bit.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Sadness. Pain. Despair. Sadness. Pain. Despair. It was all he could feel. He couldn't remember how long he had been here. In these dirty clothes. The dementors sucking every bit of happiness from his life. Some days it felt like they were sucking out his very soul. He remembered he had a friend once. James. He remembered hearing about his death. Such sadness. He remembered his mother vividly. She had thrown things at him whenever he tried to express himself. Such pain. He remembered that baby with a newly made scar on its forehead. The child cried in the arms of Severus Snape as if it understood what had just happened to his parents. As if he knew he was an orphan and Sirius had been useless to save them. Such despair.

Everything was dark but Sirius refused to be consumed by it. He had to escape. He had to see his godson. He had to make sure to boy was safe. Sirius leaned his head back and looked out the barred window. It was winter again. It had frozen everything except the water that surrounded the island. A memory flashed in his mind of skating with James and Lily. Remus was attempting to join but kept falling. Sirius had laughed but in the end helped his friend keep his balance. Sirius smiled at the memory but then frowned. Was that… a happy memory? How?

He looked back at his cell door to see a guard there opening it to let someone in. It was strange. He never had visitors. He almost fell over when he saw none other than Lucius Malfoy walk in. The man looked just as flawless as he did the last time Sirius saw him. Not so much as a single wrinkle in his clothes. Lucius sat down on the bed across from where Sirius sat on the floor.

"The dementors have been ordered not to bother us while I'm here," Lucius started. He looked at Sirius with an expression full of what Sirius could only guess was pity. He hated it.

"Thank you 'my lord.' To what do I owe the pleasure of my cousin-in-law's company? Surly you didn't come here just to stare at my pitiful appearance," he snapped. Lucius straightened but then relaxed again.

"I'm rather pleased to report to you that we are no longer bound by marriage. You cousin is currently on the run from aurors," the man informed. Sirius was somewhat interested by this.

"What did she do? Sacrifice a kitten to appease her precious lord?"

"She tried to murder both me and our son after I found proof that she was a death eater," Lucius explained in a monotone voice. Sirius felt his gut turn.

"I'm so sorry. Is Draco alright," he asked. As much as Sirius hated his cousin, her son was still family and Sirius had nothing against the boy.

"He will be fine. He had already stopped acknowledging that woman as his mother which I think helped."

"That's kind of sad too."

"Yeah well, it can't be helped. I'm just glad Harry was there to comfort him afterwards. I think that's the main reason why Draco's doing so well now."

Sirius straightened at the name. His heart nearly stopped.

"Harry?"

Lucius nodded knowingly.

"Yes, that Harry. Would you like to know what happened to him after his parents died," Lucius asked kindly.

"Please," Sirius begged. He reached forward and gripped Lucius' arm like the man was his last hope for happiness. Lucius winced at the pressure but didn't pull away.

"I'm afraid it wasn't good. With everything being so chaotic no one noticed that Dumbledore sent the poor boy to live with Lily's sister without properly looking at the will."

"No," Sirius cried. "Everyone knows how much Petunia hated magic. She was cruel to Lily. There was no way her or James would have wanted Harry to live there. What did they do to him? I swear if they hurt him-."

"Calm yourself," Lucius interrupted in a stern voice. "As I was saying, it wasn't good. It appears the boy was both physically and emotionally abused as a child. No one noticed anything until Severus happened to look at his Hogwarts letter and saw that it was addressed to 'the cupboard under the stairs.'"

"They had him sleeping in a cupboard," Sirius asked as he felt his heart break. He should have been there. Why did he have to act so stupidly? If he hadn't been so rash he could have stayed out of Azkaban and taken care of Harry.

"Yes but as soon as Severus saw this he did a little investigating of his own and found out exactly how bad the boy was being treated and took him away from those monstrous people. Petunia and her husband have both been found guilty of child abuse and are paying for their crimes," Lucius assured.

"What about Harry? What did James and Lily's will say?"

"It clearly states that they wished for you and Severus to have joint custody of him but since you are currently unable to care for the child Severus has full custody," Lucius explained in a business-like manner.

"Is Harry….happy now?"

Lucius smiled and nodded.

"Both him and Severus live in my manor. Even though I know Severus is his real guardian I have come to think of that boy as a second son. I know Severus cares deeply for him as well. Harry is very much loved so you have nothing to fear," Lucius explained with a distant smile.

Sirius felt himself relax a little. Lucius' words had indeed comforted him and he was grateful to the two Slytherins who seemed to have given Harry a second chance at a real family.

"Is that all you came to tell me," Sirius asked. Lucius shook his head.

"No, I just thought it was something you wanted to hear. The reason I'm here is because of my separation from Narcissa, it no longer would be seen as nepotism if I push for you to have a proper trial. I apologize for it taking so long but I have finally gotten the ministry to accept and they have scheduled a court date after going over the evidence against you," Lucius stated matter-of-factly. Sirius wasn't sure if he heard right.

"You're going to help me get out of here," he asked cautiously as if he felt the answer would break the newfound feeling of hope within his chest.

"I have never for a second believed you were guilty and neither did Severus. The only evidence they have against you is a finger which can't even count as proof of Pettigrew's death. The only thing you're guilty of is idiotically attacking the man in front of muggles."

Sirius decided to ignore the insult. He looked at the man in front of him. After so many years of darkness, he had brought him light. He was like an angel of mercy, come to pull him out of hell itself. Even if he was found guilty again, at least he had a chance.

"Oh, I almost forgot the best news. It took a lot of convincing and a little bribe money but they have agreed to transfer you to a secure holding cell within the ministry until your trial. Apparently mild nepotism is too risky but taking bribes is A-Okay," Lucius added.

That was it. Sirius broke down into tears of joy and relief. He didn't care how he looked anymore. He wrapped his arms around the aristocrat and buried his face into his chest.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. I will never forget this. I promise I'll pay you back one day. Not only for what you've done for me but for what you've done for Harry as well," he sobbed. He felt Lucius wrap his own arms around him. It was completely unmanly but Sirius decided to allow Lucius to hold him until he was done crying.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Things were extremely tense in the castle. There had been several more attacks and it seemed like Harry was the main suspect. After word had spread about his parseltongue ability people were now spreading the rumor that he was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself and therefore the heir that was described in the message left at the scene of the first attack. Draco, Blaise, and several other Slytherins seemed to be standing by him but it didn't stop the glares and suspicious looks from being sent his way wherever he went. Harry was starting to get overly stressed from it all. He was relieved when Quidditch season started again. He was excited when both he and Draco made the Slytherin team. Harry got the seeker position while Draco was a chaser.

He was practically skipping to the Quidditch field while Draco laughed at him. They may not have been playing today but even watching the game was enough to relieve the stress. They could forget all about the recent attacks and just watch the game. Everyone was grateful for the momentary relief. Lately it was not only the mysterious attacks that had students worried but the news of Sirius Black's trial that was coming up. It seems that many of them had been led to believe that he was some psychotic murderer but Harry explained to as many as he could that there was really no evidence against the man. This seemed to only further 'prove' that Harry was indeed the one attacking the other students.

"What's going on? It looks like everyone's leaving," Draco commented.

Harry looked around to see that the other students were indeed leaving the Quidditch field looking rather disappointed and upset. Harry noticed the headmistress heading their way with Ron following her looking very confused.

"Professor, what's going on," Harry asked as she walked up to them.

"The game has been cancelled for today. I would like for you three to follow me. There is something I think you should see."

It was horrible. Draco had to sit down on a nearby bed before his legs gave out. Harry stared down at the frozen form on the bed. It looked more like a statue than his best friend. Ron looked absolutely beside himself. Even though he hadn't really been hanging out with her as much this year, he still seemed to consider her his best friend.

"Hermione," Ron's voice shook.

"She was found with this," McGonagall said holding up a mirror. "Does it mean anything to any of you?"

All three of them shook their heads. Harry couldn't believe someone would attack her. Hermione may have gotten on some people's nerves with her knowitallism, if that was a word, but she was also so kind and thoughtful to everyone. McGonagall put her hand comfortingly on Harry's shoulder.

"Booky," Euryale said sadly as she poked her head out and looked down at her. Harry almost had a heart attack when the old woman next to him let out a high pitched screech when she realized what was right next to her hand.

"Was that really necessary," Draco asked from the ground. He had fallen of the bed he was sitting on. Madame Pomfrey ran out of her office brandishing a wand and looking like she would kill anyone who dared attack her patients. She stopped when she saw McGonagall trying to regain her composure and the snake on Harry's shoulder and began laughing.

"I'm sorry boys I just wasn't expecting that," McGonagall apologized. Her face had turned a deep shade of red. "I'll leave you to collect yourselves."

Madame Pomfrey returned to her office and the headmistress made her way out of the hospital wing leaving behind three grieving/terrified boys.

"Bloody hell! The way she screamed I thought You Know Who himself had walked in the room," Ron said still breathing heavily.

"It was a little over the top," Harry agreed.

The three stood there for a little bit before they were escorted back to their dorms. Ron went with Professor Lockhart, which in retrospect was probably more dangerous than walking through the forbidden forest on a full moon night by himself, and Harry and Draco went with Severus. Severus comforted the boys on the way back to their dorms and told them that Hermione would be more than alright once the antidote was made.

It was at dinner that night when things really got bad. From what Harry could tell by the whispers, it seemed he was being blamed for Hermione's attack as well. Everyone was saying how even his best friends weren't safe. Harry had almost punched Crabbe when he loudly congratulated on a 'job well done.' Many of the Gryffindors were silent which wasn't a good sign. Harry was glad when it was over and everyone was allowed to return to the dorms. He was almost out when he felt someone grab his arm.

"I heard what you did to Hermione. I guess it doesn't matter who it is as long as they're a mudblood you'll get rid of them huh," Seamus sneered. Everyone around them stopped to watch the scene.

"I didn't do it. Hermione is my best friend and I would never attack her or anyone else," Harry stated firmly.

"Yeah right! You just pretended to be her friend so no one would suspect you when you got rid of her."

"Shut it Seamus. You don't know what you're talking about."

Harry was surprised to see Ron defending him. Seamus seemed shocked as well.

"What the hell is this about? You his friend now," he snapped at the redhead.

"I may have been upset when he switched houses but I know Harry isn't the type of person to attack someone and he would definitely never hurt Hermione," Ron said angrily. "So piss off!"

Everyone was silent as Ron grabbed Harry by the arm and pulled him out of the great hall. They were well down the corridor when Ron finally stopped and let go. Draco ran up behind them. Harry collected himself and turned to face the red head.

"Don't listen to them mate. These attacks have everyone so wound up they aren't even thinking anymore."

"So now we're mates," Harry snapped. He was still more than a little pissed at what he tried to do to Euryale. Ron shifted uncomfortable.

"I-I'm sorry okay. I know I took the whole house thing too far and I should have stood by you instead of acting like a… well.."

"Complete git," Draco supplied. Ron looked like he wanted to argue for a moment but then took a deep breath.

"Yeah. I wasn't being a very good friend. I just didn't know what to think with you suddenly being in a different house and than you were getting all buddy-buddy with a Malfoy who I've always heard were nothing but a bunch of snobs who thought they were better than everyone else. No offense," Ron quickly added. Draco's face showed that offense indeed had been taken from the statement but he didn't say anything. "But when I think about it I've never seen Draco act like he thought he was better than everyone else so I've been thinking I was wrong about him and the other Slytherins, except Pansy and Crabbe I still hate them and I don't think that'll change soon. I also want to apologize for the snake. I honestly wasn't thinking and I've been feeling like crap since I overheard you saying that she was just a baby. I mean I've never thought of snakes or any reptiles as having feelings. It's not like with dogs or cats. They don't have any facial features and they don't make any distinguishing sounds. How am I supposed to know if they're scared?!"

"Ron," Harry snapped getting the other boys attention. His ramblings ceased. "I can forgive you for the things you said to me. They weren't half as bad as what Pansy and Crabbe say and you pretty much stopped after the first couple weeks of school. But if you want to apologize for almost killing Euryale than I think you should talk to her yourself."

The snake in question poked her head out from Harry's cloak and stared at the redhead. Harry could tell by the sudden tensing in her body that she recognized him.

"Harry, you want me to apologize to a snake? Well I guess that's fair. Will she understand me," Ron asked not taking his eyes off her.

"From what Harry says she does. Just think of it as you apologizing to a little girl who you've terrified," Draco offered. Ron looked like he was about to say something but then looked at Harry in silent question.

"Her name's Euryale," he repeated.

"Euryale. I'm sorry I threw you into the lake. It was very wrong of me and I'm also sorry I didn't think that you had feelings which apparently you do," Ron said uncomfortably. "I…I would like us to start over….please."

Ron must have been serious because it looked like it was killing him to do something that in normal circumstances would be considered bizarre. He looked at Harry with expectant eyes waiting for him to translate her reply.

"I think I can forgive Foody this time. You seem really sorry. Thank you for the nice apology," Euryale said with a bow of her tiny head. Harry's eyes widened as he looked at her.

"What did you call him," he asked. Ron, who could only hear one side of the conversation, looked both alarmed and confused.

"Foody. I've watched him during food time and it seems to be his happiest time of day," she explained matter-of-factly. Harry rolled his eyes.

"What's going on? What did she call me," Ron asked.

"Don't worry. She says she forgives you. It's just she never wants to call anyone by their real name. She comes up with weird nicknames based off her own observations of people," Harry explained. Draco cringed thinking of his own nickname given to him by the eccentric snake.

"So what did she call me?"

"Foody. Apparently you look really happy when you're eating," Harry answered. Ron's face turned red as Draco laughed. Harry grinned at both of them.

"So anyways, Harry," Ron asked getting his attention. "Do you think we could be friends again?"

Harry smiled. Despite everything, he had really missed his friend.

"Yeah."

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: It seems kind of in character for Ron to be a prick when something happens that he doesn't agree with happens but in the end he always apologizes. It maybe a huge character flaw but at least he comes through in the end. For those of you who don't know, in Greek mythology Euryale is the second oldest of the three Gorgon sisters. The oldest being Sethno and the youngest being the more well known, Medusa. If anyone wants to know why I had a snake drinking herbal tea, the truth is the idea just came to me and I thought it was funny and cute so I added it. Euryale's powers are a combination of me researching the myth behind Aesculapian snakes and my own imagination. Next chapter: Finally the Chamber of Secrets! Results of Sirius' trial that I'm sure you've all already guessed! And maybe some more stuff happens!**


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: And here it is, the end of year two. So someone asked in their review how Euryale's mother, a snake, would know about Greek mythology so here is the reason I've just made up. Since snakes were often worshipped around that time the myths of the Gorgons, who all had snakes for hair, became well known in snake society and culture along with other myths as well. These myths got passed down from generation to generation until it was finally passed down to Euryale's mother who thought it was a neat coincidence that only three of her twelve hatchlings were female. Hence the names based on the Greek myth. Well I hope that explanation works for you. And know I give you, the new chapter. Enjoy!**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

It all made sense now. Harry held both the article and the scrap of paper he found in Hermione's petrified hand. He had found the article in her book bag which had been kept in the hospital wing with her. He normally would never have gone through his friends things but he had been curious about what she may have found in the library before she was attacked. He recalled her saying that she wanted to research magical creatures to see if she could figure out what the monster that lurked in the Chamber of Secrets. It seems she found and article from the first time the chamber had been opened. It talked about how Rubeus Hagrid had been the main suspect and how the students mourned the loss of their fellow student who was killed in one of the lavatories. Harry had been so absorbed in the article that he didn't notice Euryale slither down onto the bed to curl up with Hermione.

Euryale missed her just as much as Harry, Ron, and Draco did. She seemed to also feel guilty that she couldn't help Hermione get better.

**XxxxFlachbackxxxX**

"I'm too young," she whined bitterly. "My venom can't do anything for her."

"It's okay Euryale. Hermione's going to be just fine. We'll just have to wait for the antidote it's not your fault," Harry comforted.

"But I want Booky to be better now," the snake child cried.

"I know you miss her. We all do. But Hermione wouldn't want us to just sit around feeling sorry for ourselves. We just need to be patient."

Euryale looked up at Harry. Determination was apparent in her beady little eyes that were so dark they appeared to be completely black.

"I'm going to grow big one day and I'll heal all my friends when they get hurt," she promised. "I'll be the most powerful Aesculiapian snake in the world. My venom will even be able to bring people back from the dead!"

Harry smiled down at her. She may be only the second snake he had ever talked to but something told him that she was special, albeit very weird.

"That's the spirit! Now how about I get the Great and Powerful Euryale a lizard for dinner?"

"That's Ms. Great and Powerful Euryale to you, and yes that sounds yummy."

**XxxxFlashbackEndxxxX**

Harry reread the article that Hermione had found to make sure he had gotten all the information he needed.

"Stormy! Booky has something in her hand," Euryale announced.

Harry looked down at Hermione's hand and that's when he found a passage from a book crumpled up in her hand. He read it and felt his heart stop. This was it! This was the creature that was attacking everyone.

"Hey Harry. What are you reading," Ron asked as he walked up to their friend's hospital bed.

"Ron I got it! Well Hermione got it but I just found out what it is," Harry said excitingly.

"What what is?"

"The thing that's been attacking everyone," Harry explained picking up Euryale and wrapping her around his shoulders. Ron followed him as he sped out of the hospital wing looking for a teacher.

"What is it? Come on mate don't leave me wondering."

Harry stopped and showed Ron the passage.

"It's a Basilisk. Looking into their eyes results in immediate death. They live for hundreds of years. Spiders flee before it. That's why I could hear it. It's a snake," Harry explained. He remembered how he had seen a line of spiders fleeing out the window when he had found Justin and Nearly Headless Nick both petrified.

"But Harry, if it can kill people, by looking them in the eye, how come no one's dead?"

Harry noticed his reflection on a window next to them.

"Because no one did look it in the eye," he realized. "Not directly at least. Collins was always taking pictures so I bet he saw it through his camera. Hermione had the mirror, I bet she was using it to check around corners in case it came along. Justin was standing behind Nearly Headless Nick, he must have saw it through him. Nick got full blast of it, but he's a ghost he can't die again."

"And what about Mrs. Norris? I'm pretty sure she didn't have a camera or a mirror," Ron pointed out.

"There was water on the floor that night," Harry recalled. "She only saw the basilisk's reflection."

"How is it getting around? A big snake like that, someone would have seen it," Ron wondered.

"Hermione's answered that for us," Harry said noticing her handwriting on the side of the paper.

"Pipes," Ron read. "It's using the plumbing."

Harry remembered the article he had found earlier. It said that the last time someone opened the Chamber a girl was killed in a bathroom. Harry recalled a certain overly emotional ghost girl who haunted a girl's bathroom that seemed to fit the description of the victim. He was about to tell Ron about it when he was interrupted by an announcement from the headmistress telling all students to return to their houses at once and all teachers to gather in the second floor corridor. Harry and Ron decided to go to the second floor where all the teachers had gathered. They stopped and hid in a corner while they listened to what was going on.

"It is as we feared. A student has been taken by the monster into the chamber itself," McGonagall said mournfully. Everyone was silent for a moment. "Students will have to be sent home. I'm afraid this is the end of Hogwarts."

"Well Gilderoy your moment to shine has come at last," Severus drawled.

"My moment," Lockhart stammered.

"What you were saying just the other day, that you knew all along where the chamber was hidden," Severus reminded. All the teachers gave the bumbling professor knowing looks. They all knew he was just talk.

"Very well Lockhart. We'll leave you to deal with the monster. Your skills after all are legendary," McGonagall said smugly. Lockhart looked nervous for a moment than slipped back into his usual facade.

"Very well. I'll just be in my office getting…getting ready," he said charmingly before practically running down the hallway.

"Now if you'll all excuse me, I'll be doing an actual search," Severus said before walking off in the opposite direction with several other professors.

"Who is it that the beast has taken," Madame Pomfrey asked. McGonagall began to lead her and the rest of the teachers away from the area.

"Ginny Weasley," she answered sadly.

Harry and Ron stared at the message that was once again written in blood.

"Her skeleton will lie in the chamber forever," Ron read. It sounded like he was close to crying. "Ginny."

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry was cursing every deity he had ever heard of. This was NOT what he thought would happen when he and Ron went to Lockhart's office to tell him what they knew about the basilisk. It all happened so quick. They caught the man trying to flee the school, Lockhart confessed to being a fraud, Harry suggested they check out the bathroom where Moaning Myrtle lived on their way to talk to a more competent teacher, they forced Lockhart to go with them, in the bathroom Harry found the entrance and opened it by speaking in parseltongue, Lockhart pushed both Harry and Ron down but also fell when they both grabbed onto his arms, Lockhart stole Ron's wand while he was looking at the huge snakeskin, he tried to curse them but the spell his the rocks above them causing the tunnel to collapse leaving Harry and Euryale on one side and Ron on the other with Lockhart who seemed to be suffering from a head injury, and now Harry was walking further into the chamber that was home to a giant killing snake. Yup, he was going to die and it was all Lockhart's fault. At least he knew his death would be avenged. The professors would eventually find Ron and he would tell them what happened and no doubt Severus would slowly torcher the sorry excuse for a teacher to death.

"Stupid Peacock! I wish I was poisonous so I could teach him a lesson," Euryale muttered darkly. Peacock was the name she had chosen for Lockhart. She said it because the man was all show with nothing to back it up. Much like a peacock uses its feathers to intimidate predators even though it's actually harmless. Harry had never got around to asking her how she knew what a peacock was.

Harry walked further into the chamber. If he was going to die anyway, he might as well try his best to save Ginny first. He hoped she was still alive. She had been very sweet the few times he talked to her. He stopped when he came to an open area. There was a walkway with rows of snake statues on both sides of it. At the end of it there was a giant head of a man with a flowing beard carved out of the wall. This all seemed to have been built in an ancient cave under the school. Harry looked up to see dangerously sharp stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Harry noticed something lying at the end of the walkway. He walked forward and slowly began to run as he realized it was Ginny. He got down on his knees beside her and tried to wake her up. She looked so pale and was barely breathing. She was showing no signs of getting up. He needed to get her to Madame Pomfrey.

Euryale gave out a warning hiss that caught Harry's attention. He looked up to see a rather attractive boy who looked like he was several years older than Harry. He had on a slytherin uniform but Harry didn't recognize him. He was sure he had never seen this boy before in his life.

"Who are you," he demanded.

"My name is Tom Riddle, and you must be the famous Harry Potter come to rescue this poor girl. I'm afraid I can't let you do that," Tom answered calmly.

"You're the heir," Harry realized. "What are you? What have you done to Ginny? Why did you attack those people?"

"I'm just a memory preserved in a diary. I've had little Ginny here under my control since the beginning. You see, it was Ginny who opened the chamber of secrets," Tom started to rant.

"No," Harry denied.

"It was Ginny who attacked those people. It was Ginny who wrote the threatening messages on the wall."

"Why would she do that," Harry asked.

"Because I told her to. You will find that I can be very persuasive and of course like I said before she was under my control. As long as she had the diary, I could do my work through her," Tom smirked.

"Well I can tell you now you've already failed. Soon the antidote will be ready and everybody who had been petrified will get better," Harry retorted.

"Killing mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore. My target for many months now has been you," Tom said walking around Harry looking him up and down. Harry felt his chest grow cold. Why him? "How is it that a baby with no extraordinary talents was able to defeat the dark lord?"

"Why do you care? Voldemort was after your time," Harry asked assuming that this 'memory' was from the first time the chamber of secrets was opened. Tom gave a smirk that made Harry's skin crawl.

"Voldemort is my past, present, and future."

Pulling out a wand, Tom wrote his full name in the air. Tom Marvolo Riddle. He waved over the letters and the shifted until they read, 'I am Lord Voldemort'. Harry immediately understood.

"You're the heir of Slytherin. You're Voldemort."

"Surely you didn't think I would keep my filthy muggle father's name. No, I fashioned myself a new name. One that that everyone would fear when I became the greatest wizard in the world," the young Voldemort ranted.

"Yes and we can see where that got you," Harry countered. Pure rage flashed in the older teens eyes.

"Puzzle talks a lot," Euryale commented. Harry stared at Voldemort as he realized that she was right. Voldemort smirked at the realization.

"What a clever snake you have there. You see I'm buying my time until the rituals complete," he explained. Harry was confused again. "You see as poor Ginny grows weaker, I grow stronger. Soon I'll be free to do as I please. Until then…"

The memory waved its wand and hissed something that Harry didn't quite make out. The giant statue of a head's mouth opened and Harry say the thirty foot long monstrosity of a snake slither out of it. Harry began stepping back and looked down so he didn't look into its eyes.

"Let's see how the famous Harry Potter stands against the legacy of Salazar Slytherin," Voldemort shouted. He turned to the basilisk and hissed in parseltongue, "Kill the boy."

Harry ran down the walkway but he could hear the snake quickly catch up to him. He was pushed to the ground by the enormous head. He looked over and saw the shadow of his soon to be killer as it readied to strike. A second much smaller shadow appeared on the top of the basilisks head just as it leaned closer to him.

"No one hurts my Stormy," Euryale hissed. The basilisk screeched and moved away from Harry. Harry watched the shadows on the wall and saw the smaller shadow strike over and over again as the giant beast whipped its head around trying to get her off. He figured that Euryale must have fallen off his shoulders and onto the larger snakes head when it knocked him down. Harry stood up as he heard Voldemort let out an angry cry. Harry watched helplessly as his friend was thrown off and skidded across the watery walkway until she came to a stop.

"You snake may have blinded the basilisk, but it can still hear you," Voldemort jeered.

Harry took a step back making a small splash sound in the water. The basilisk stopped all movement and stared down at him. It looked like Euryale had continuously bitten its eyes until they were unrecognizable. At least that was one less danger. Harry took off to the side and ran into a tunnel with the basilisk not far behind him. After a few twists and turns he found himself trapped. The basilisk was right there slowly moving towards him. He picked up a rock and carefully threw it down the tunnel away from him. It took all his strength not to sigh in relief as the basilisk moved away from him and headed further into the pipes in search of the source of the sound. Harry followed the pipe back into the main chamber. He stopped when he saw Ginny still lying on the floor.

"Having fun Potter? There's nothing you can do. You and the girl will both die down here," Voldemort taunted. Harry looked around and got an idea. He pulled Ginny down the walkway away from the giant head statue ignoring Voldemort's questions of what he was doing. He ran back to the statue as the basilisk reappeared out of the pipes. He began to climb the statue as the monster made its way over to him. Harry scrambled onto the giant head statue as the giant snake moved closer. He tried to be quiet as he climbed but his uniform was wet and kept slapping against the stone as he moved. He looked back at the beast just in time to see it lunge at him. He scrambled out of the way and the basilisk rammed its head into the statue where Harry had been climbing only moments ago. Harry decided not to waste any time climbing to the top and he was surprisingly quick to reach the top despite having to dodge the basilisk's attacks. He stood up on top of the statue and squared off with the snake. He held his wand out and readied himself. The next attack came and Harry used a deflecting charm. He did the same for the second and third one. Harry finally saw his opportunity when the basilisk took a moment to shake its giant head like it was getting frustrated. Harry used a blasting spell on the roof of the cave. The basilisk looked up at the sound of shacking rock. Harry sent two more blasting spells at the ceiling while the beast was distracted. The sound of his casting drew its attention back to him and it made a final lunge for him. Harry tried to deflect the reptile but he was too slow this time and he felt his arm get pierced by one of basilisk's fangs. Harry screamed in pain and looked up desperately at the cave's roof. He felt relief throughout his whole body when he saw the rocks start to break away. Several stalactites broke off and two of them fell all the way to the ground and shattered into pieces. The rest pierced the giant snake's body. The basilisk let out a pained roar as it tore its mouth away from Harry and moved to inspect the damage done to its body. Harry looked up to see a rather large stalactite still attached to its base. With one last desperate spell, Harry knocked it loose and it finally gave way. It pierced through the basilisk's head and the creature fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Harry watched the massive body for a few moments. It didn't move again.

Satisfied, Harry climbed down and walked back over to Ginny's body. He began feeling weak and soon fell to his knees in front of the unconscious girl. Harry barely listened to the sixteen year old dark lord as he said something about basilisk venom. He looked down at his arm to see a fang sticking out of it. He pulled it out and turned his attention back to his best friends little sister.

"You're too late," Voldemort said in a calm yet triumphant voice. "Soon, Ginny Weasley will be dead, and I will cease to be a memory."

Harry looked down at her. He noticed that she was still clutching onto the diary Voldemort spoke of earlier. Harry picked it up and placed it on the ground. He grabbed the previously discarded basilisk fang and gripped it as hard as he could. Voldemort had said that his current self was just a memory preserved in this diary, which meant he was tied to it. Perhaps destroying the diary would destroy him as well? Harry opened the blank book to a random page.

"What are you doing," Voldemort asked sounding a little worried. He saw Harry left up the fang and aim it above the diary. "Stop! No!"

Harry brought the fang down and pierced the book which began to leak ink as if it were bleeding. A shining hole appeared in Voldemort's stomach and he began to cry out in pain and terror. He glared fiercely at Harry and went to attack him but stopped when Harry stabbed the diary again. This time his face began to glow and he let out a wail. Harry had mixed feelings about causing someone so much pain but he needed to save Ginny so he closed the diary and made one last powerful stab which caused Voldemort to let out a terrible screech before being consumed by light and finally bursting. The second Voldemort gone Ginny let out a gasp as she came back to life. The color in her skin reappeared and she was no longer deathly pale. Despite his fading strength, Harry was relieved that she was alright. She looked around before she noticed Harry slumped behind her.

"Harry," she cried. She gave him a guilty look. "It was me. But I swear I didn't know what I was doing. Riddle made me…and…Harry! You're hurt."

Harry tried to cover up his wound. His vision blurred a little. He knew he wasn't going to last long and Ginny had been through enough without having to watch him die.

"Ginny, don't worry about me. Go to the entrance, find Ron and get out of here," he said hoping she wouldn't put up much of a fight. The look on her face told him that she wasn't about to go anytime soon. He let out a sad sigh but didn't say anything. As nice as Ginny was, he didn't want it to be her that was with him when he died. He'd rather have his family there. Papa would be crying his eyes out and holding him. Draco would be crying and calling him an idiot for getting himself in this situation. Severus wouldn't cry though. He was more of the 'cry on the inside' kind of person. He would be comforting Harry, calling him an idiot, and research desperately for a cure at the same time. Harry almost chuckled at the thought.

"Stormy," a little voice called. Harry looked over as Euryale slithered over to him. She seemed perfectly fine despite being thrown.

"You were brilliant Euryale. I just wasn't quick enough," he said sadly as he looked down at the little snake. Euryale slithered closer to him.

"I noticed but don't worry. You'll get better. Don't look so sad," she reassured. Harry was about to explain that he wasn't going to have time to get better when Euryale sunk her tiny fangs into his wrist. Ginny cried out in shock and Harry winced at the feeling. His arm began to tingle and he felt his strength begin to return. He no longer felt as if he was dying.

"But I thought you were too young to heal people," Harry exclaimed. Euryale gave a little nod.

"I can't but mama used to tell me and my siblings that our venom can beat any other snakes'," she explained. Harry grinned and nodded in understanding. He still had the wound on his arm but he'd live.

"It's okay. It's all over now," he told Ginny. He resisted the urge to grin maniacally. He was just overjoyed that he was going to live. "It's just a bad memory."

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Narcissa fumed as she read the Prophet. How could it have failed? The dark lord should have been resurrected but instead the horcrux was destroyed and Potter was being called a hero for killing the basilisk and saving Ginerva Weasley. Narcissa grabbed the nearest object, which was an expensive but tacky looking vase, and threw it against the wall. No one even died! Not one single dirty mudblood! It was that idiotic snakes fault. Her lord's plan was perfect. Potter would pay. He had ruined all that effort Narcissa took to sneak into Diagon Alley and slip the diary into the little Weasley trash's school things.

"Is everything alright love," Vigo asked. Narcissa looked over at the rich and heart-stoppingly attractive wizard. He had been her lover when she was married but their relationship had been purely based on sex. Neither one of them was interested in love. Narcissa had been forced to use a combination of the imperious curse and a love potion so that he would hide her from aurors. His manor wasn't as big as the Malfoy family manor but she was still able to live comfortably.

Narcissa stood up and smoothed out her silver colored, silk nightgown. She gave her man slave a charming smile even though it was pointless. She could have thrown that vase at his head and he would still be head over heels for her. She walked up to him and caressed his cheek.

"Yes honey. I was just angry at something in the Prophet. The ministry's still saying such awful things about me," she complained with a sexy pout. Vigo smiled down at her.

"Don't worry my love. They won't find you here," he purred as he pulled her into his arms. Narcissa loved the feeling of being held in such strong arms. "Those filthy blood traitors will get what's coming to them. Now, how about we go to bed?"

Narcissa smiled at his suggestive tone and followed him up to the master bedroom. Revenge would have to wait for now. She would have to lay low and continue her search for Crouch Jr. She would need him for the next plan but at the moment, it was time to enjoy her toy.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Even though he was technically still a prisoner, Sirius couldn't remember a time he felt happier. He was being given some tasty meals, and by that he meant plain sandwiches that weren't either several days old or filled with spoiled meat, and his case seemed to be going very well. As the public and the jury got a little more familiar with the details they were starting to realize that he was indeed an innocent man with absolutely no death eater connections unless they were to count Lucius, but he was a spy for the Order so Sirius didn't think he counted. But even so Lucius seemed to be keeping his distance from the court proceedings. According to Sirius' lawyer, paid for by Lucius, the man was still looked at as a true death eater and wasn't well liked in the wizarding community. It didn't really seem fair to Sirius but there was nothing he could do about it so he just settled for silently calling everyone an idiot.

Sirius gave a flirtatious smile the young woman who walked up to his cell door carrying what appeared to be a steak with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. He nearly drooled when he spotted the meal. He hadn't even seen gravy for almost twelve years. If he were in his dog form he would have been wagging his tail. He looked back up at the young woman. She must have been an auror in training. She slipped the tray through the slot in the bars and into Sirius' waiting hands. She looked at him in the eye for the first time since she arrived and Sirius saw her stop dead in her tracks at the sight of his charming leer.

"So, what can I do for the beautiful angel who was kind enough to provide such a delicacy to this unworthy dog," he asked in a low, sexy tone. The young woman blushed and quickly averted her eyes.

"Well, my little puppy, you could start by having a nice conversation with me while you eat."

Sirius glanced up at Lucius who was smirking at the two. The girl excused herself and left quickly leaving the two alone. Sirius looked Lucius up and down. He had a slender body but not so much that it reminded him of a woman. His long hair seemed to glow in natural light. His aristocratic facial features were a startling contrast to his sky blue eyes. Sirius always wondered how someone with such stern facial expressions could have such kind and welcoming eyes. Speaking of eyes, Sirius couldn't help but notice that they looked slightly red as if the man had been crying earlier. His curiosity at the thought of something making the aristocrat break down almost overwhelmed him but he refrained from asking about it.

"It seems I got the wrong angel," he said with a suggestive grin. Lucius chuckled.

"And it seems it's true what they say about guys who are just out of prison," he retorted. Sirius felt his face grow serious. No pun intended.

"I'm not 'out' yet, and I don't want to get my hopes up too much in case it doesn't turn out well," he explained. Lucius' eye twitched slightly like he wanted to do or say something but he refrained. He always seemed to be holding something back which bothered Sirius quite a bit.

"One way or another, you'll get your freedom," he promised. Sirius couldn't help but be a little worried about the 'or another' part. He decided to just give the man a sincere thanks and than sat down with his meal.

"So, can I ask you a question? You wouldn't have to answer it," Sirius asked finally giving in to his curiosity.

"Of course."

"Why have you been crying?"

Lucius visibly stiffened before averting his eyes from Sirius'. Sirius figured the man wouldn't answer so he casually started to cut up his steak. He was surprised when he heard Lucius start to speak.

"Throughout the school year, there have been several attacks at Hogwarts. According to the message the attacker left the Chamber of Secrets was opened again. Several students were petrified," he explained. Sirius felt a stab of fear.

"Harry? Draco?"

"They are both fine. But it seems that Harry had found out the identity of the monster rumored to live down there and ended up finding the camber itself."

"He went there? Knowing there was a monster in there? What was it," Sirius asked. He couldn't help but think of how Harry must have taken after James. He was always getting them and himself into trouble.

"It was a basilisk. According to the report, the youngest daughter of the Weasley family had been taken down there earlier that night. She was on the verge of death when he found her but now they are both safe. Everyone made it out without any major injuries except for Gilderoy Lockhart who had been hired to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. He suffered a head injury and has lost all his memories of what happened and even who he is," Lucius stated as if he was reading the report to Sirius.

"Then why were you crying? It sounds like everything worked out in the end."

"Why," Lucius asked as he started to pace in front of the cell. Sirius stuffed a large bite of the steak into his mouth. He almost moaned at the taste. It had been cooked just right to fit his tastes. "Do you have any idea what a basilisk is?! It's a giant snake that can kill you if you look into its eye. The only reason that none of the other students died is because they only saw reflections. Not to mention how large they are. That thing could have swallowed Harry whole in one gulp! And on top of that the thing was poisonous! And what did he do? He walked right into its lair and decided to have a full out fight to the death with it. I can't even imagine what he was thinking going in that place alone. He got bit Sirius. He almost died from the poison. If Euryale hadn't been there….," Lucius stopped mid rant and Sirius saw tears forming in his eyes. He remembered Lucius telling him that he thought of Harry as his own child but he didn't think he was this serious about it but seeing the look on his face when he spoke of Harry being in danger, it almost reminded Sirius of a mother whose child had almost been taken from her. It was heartbreaking. Sirius made a move to stand up so that he could try to comfort Lucius in some way but the man shook his head and his face changed dramatically from maternal to indifferent.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," he said in a monotone voice. Sirius was stunned at the change. He contemplated the idea that Lucius had a personality disorder. Lucius motioned towards the tray of food that laid almost forgotten on Sirius' lap. "Eat that before it gets cold. I'll wait until you're finished to discuss details about your case with you."

Sirius did as he was told while silently taking in what Lucius said about Harry and the Chamber of Secrets. He almost cried at the thought of his godson dying before he even had the chance to meet him. Hell, the thought of Harry dying at any time was enough to make Sirius want to throw up his delicious meal. As he inhaled his steak, Sirius thought about several things. Would Harry like him when they finally met or would he treat him like a stranger? What kind of personality disorder did Lucius have? And who the hell was Euryale?

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

The moment had finally come. After months of work the jury had finally come to a decision. Even though he was almost positive about what the outcome would be, Lucius was still nervous. Not that he showed it. He glanced at Sirius who looked like he was about to puke. Lucius felt like hugging him but stayed in his spot, at the back of the room where no one noticed him. He narrowed his eyes when he saw Dumbledore place his hand on Sirius' shoulder and whispered something to him. Most likely some cheesy line to calm the soon-to-be-ex prisoner down and make it appear as if he truly cared. The old man had come out of his isolation to be a character witness for Sirius. Since it ended up working in their favor Lucius allowed it but he was not happy about it. He hoped Sirius wouldn't fall for that bastard's act but he could see in his eyes an unwavering trust. Lucius snorted to himself. Sirius had always been extremely loyal to his friends. He didn't seem at all upset that Dumbledore had abandoned him and left him to rot in Azkaban for all those years.

The high judge walked back into the room along with the jurors and they all took their seats. The last few minutes of the trial seemed to be the tensest. Lucius looked over at the reporters who already had their notepads out.

"All rise," the judge ordered. "Sirius Black, due to a lack of any evidence tying you to the betrayal of James and Lily Potter which resulted in their death, we of this court find you, innocent."

There was a burst of murmuring throughout the courtroom as reporters started to feverishly write down notes. Sirius looked like he was going to collapse from the relief. Lucius felt most of his tension melt away when he heard the word 'innocent' but there was still one other charges to go through.

"For the crime of murdering the wizard known as Peter Pettigrew, the court finds you…innocent."

Sirius swayed a little this time but his lawyer steadied him.

"For the crime of using magic in the presence of a muggle, the court finds you…guilty."

Lucius had somewhat expected this. Unlike the other charges, it couldn't be denied that Sirius had indeed attacked Pettigrew in front of muggles. He looked over at Sirius who looked a little terrified at the idea of returning to Azkaban. The judge put down his papers and scrutinized the man.

"The normal punishment for such a crime is three years in the minimal security wing of Azkaban. However, I recognize the great injustice that you have suffered. You were denied a trial and was forced to serve almost twelve years in the high security wing for a crime you clearly had not committed. As an apology I am waving the sentence since you have already served more than enough time," the judge decided.

The court room burst into loud voices of astonishment, congratulation, and in some cases outrage. Some people still refused to see Sirius' innocence but at this point they were few and far between. Lucius allowed himself to smile as he saw Sirius collapse in relief at the judge's decision. Lucius had agreed to meet up with Sirius and his lawyer in a private room after the sentencing. He got up and slipped out of the chaotic courtroom and made his way down the hall.

After thanking the lawyer again and handing the wizard a bonus check, Lucius and Sirius were left alone to wait out the crowd of reporters who were all looking for an interview that Sirius wasn't ready to give.

"So what are you going to do now? I'm afraid you'll still have to wait two weeks for Harry to get back from school so you can see him," Lucius apologized. Sirius just shrugged.

"I've waited this long I don't think a little more would kill me. The only thing I'm worried about is where I'm going to live. I'm thinking I'll just rent a room at the Leaky Cauldron until I find a place," Sirius mumbled thoughtfully. Lucius grimaced at the suggestion. Although he wasn't as stuck up as everyone thought he was, he still couldn't stand the thought of staying even one night in a dirty place like that. He knew what many couples went there to do and how the cleaning staff was often lax with washing sheets.

"You know, I have plenty of rooms at my manor. You could come live with me," he offered. This would be a lot easier than having to explain to the man why he had to take a shower and change into fresh clothes before being allowed to even go near Harry.

"I-I couldn't," Sirius declined looking uncomfortable. "You've already done so much for me, I couldn't take advantage of you like that."

"You should take advantage of the opportunity. You know, Harry already lives at the manor so it would probably be easier to get to know him if you stayed there as well," Lucius pointed out. This seemed to spark Sirius' interest. "It'll also help avoid having awkward arguments with Severus about custody issues like a divorced couple."

Sirius grimaced at the analogy but seemed to really be thinking about it.

"Well, I guess renting a room is a little inconvenient if I'm going to help take care of Harry, and I'm definitely not returning to my family home," he contemplated. "But will you really be okay with having me there? You barely know me."

"I can see that you truly care for Harry and I noticed how concerned you were for Draco when I told you about what Narcissa tried to do to him. I have also heard a lot about you from Severus. I've been told you're a little mature and can be an idiot sometimes," Lucius smirked.

"Hey," Sirius barked indignantly.

"But your hearts always in the right place and that's good enough for me. Anything else, I can just learn later. The most important thing is that I can trust you with my sons," Lucius assured waving away the other man's worries. "So what do you say? You can't deny it's a good deal. You get to stay at a nice place with good meals and you don't even have to pay."

Sirius smiled and held out his hand.

"I accept," he agreed. Lucius grinned back and took his hand and they shook on their decision.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: I have to say, it took me a while to figure out how Harry could kill the basilisk since without Dumbledore there is no phoenix to bring him the sorting hat or blind the thing. I hope you guys like my solution to that little problem. I would also like to point out that I have little to no knowledge of how regular court processes go much less wizarding, ones so I apologize for any mistakes. In the next chapter, Harry and Sirius finally meet! Sirius finds out that not only is Harry a slytherin but he's a parcelmouth as well! Will it be a problem for for the die hard gryffindor?! Find out after I write it!**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: I am so so so so sorry! Due to the combination of me turning the legal drinking age and having a ten page essay due it took me awhile to find time to write. But now I'm back and will try to not go this long without updating again. **

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Harry would be lying to say that he wasn't nervous. He walked quietly next to Draco as they followed Severus up to the manor's front door. He had gotten the letter from papa saying that Sirius Black would be there waiting for them and that they had some other surprise. Harry wondered what to expect from the man. He had once been his father's best friends but he also had just spent over a decade in Azkaban. He knew very well that Black had been innocent but he still could have changed after spending so much time in the harsh environment. He looked up at Severus who gave him a reassuring smile. He was glad he had finally calmed down after the incident in the Chamber of Secrets. At first the man had been absolutely livid that Harry would do something so stupid as to go into such a dangerous place alone and Harry had thought for a second that the man was going to murder him. After Harry explained that he had no intention of going into the Chamber when he found it and that it was Lockhart's fault that he had found himself down there the potions master seemed to focus his rage on the injured professor. McGonagall had to banish Severus to his private chambers until Lockhart was escorted off school property. Severus was still upset with Harry for going off on his own but at least he was talking to him. He figured Harry had learned his lesson well enough from seeing papa's reaction, and he did. Harry had never felt more guilty in his life when Lucius had broken down into tears at the thought of him dying. He made a promise to himself to try to never bother his family like that again.

"Young masters! Master Snape," Dobby called as he appeared in front of the door. Draco ran up to the little elf and hugged him.

"It's so good to see you Dobby. I'm glad you're finally back home," he said with a laugh. Dobby looked so happy he was on the verge of tears.

"Dobby is happy to be back to serve his wonderful masters," he said in a shaky voice.

"Where's Lucius and Black," Severus asked.

"They are in the back. They wanted to enjoy the nice weather while they waited," Dobby explained.

Draco dropped his schoolbag by the door and grabbed Harry by the arm.

"Come on! I'll race you," he challenged.

Harry momentarily forgot all his anxiety towards meeting his long lost godfather and now legal co-caretaker and chased after the blonde. Even though in the air Harry could always beat Draco, the other boy was far faster than he was when it came to running and he ended up waiting by the back door for Harry to catch up. They opened it to see Lucius sitting comfortably at the intricately designed outdoor steel table with matching chairs by the massive garden. He seemed to be alone but Harry noticed a large black dog stretched out on a bench right next to the rose bushes. When did they get a dog? Was that the surprise he mentioned in the letter?

"Harry! Draco," Lucius called when he noticed the boys looking at him. They both took off and jumped into Lucius' awaiting arms.

"I missed you guys so much! Even though I just visited you," Lucius confessed.

"We missed you too dad. What's with the dog," Draco asked.

The canine in question had jumped off the bench it had been resting on and was walking over to them. Harry was startled as it shifted into a grown man with a nervous smile on his face. He was dressed in a plain, long black robe and he had medium length curly hair. He was very skinny but had broad shoulders. His skin was pale but it didn't look unhealthy. Harry couldn't help but feel that a short while ago this man probably looked very sickly.

"Hello Harry. I'm sorry we couldn't meet sooner but I'm your godfather Sirius Black," the man said holding out his hand. Harry took it and shook.

"Hello. I guess you already know my name. Um- so how are you doing now that you're free? It must feel really good," Harry commented lamely not really sure what to say. Sirius let out a heartwarming laugh.

"Hell yeah it does! You wouldn't believe how much of a relief it is to be away from that place. It's like waking up from a never-ending nightmare," he explained with a bright smile on his face. Harry smiled back at him. He had been worried that the man would have been distant and cold after all his years in Azkaban but he seemed to have recovered quickly.

"Mind if I take a closer look at you?"

Harry nodded that it was okay and the man knelt down in front of him and looked him over. Harry just stared back.

"You know, when I first saw you coming out of that house, I thought I was looking at a distant memory of your father. You look exactly like him but from this distance I can see you have your mother's eyes," he commented in awe. Harry felt a swell in his chest at being compared to his parents. Even if he had no memories of them, he still missed them.

"Do you think, I mean if you have time, you could tell me about my father? Severus has already told me a lot about my mom but he says he doesn't know much about him," Harry asked. Sirius' smile grew even wider.

"Of course! I have so many stories about your old man and us marauders," he said happily.

"Marauders," Draco asked.

"Yes. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter made up that group. They were the equivalent of the Weasley twins except they spent their first few years at Hogwarts as nothing but glorified bullies," Severus explained. Harry hadn't noticed that he had caught up to them. He was standing just outside of the back door. Harry had heard that Severus was bullied in school which was the main reason why he seemed to hate Gryffindors but it hadn't occurred to him that it was his own father and godfather that did it. He looked back over at the man in question who was now standing back up. Sirius' face grew apologetic.

"We did apologize for that didn't we? I know it doesn't take back the things we did but I was hoping that we could move past it all," he said in an almost pleading tone. Severus was quiet for a moment then nodded.

"Yes, I believe that is the mature thing to do. Besides, it's pointless to dwell on the past. I'm glad you're finally out and I'm sorry it had to take so long."

Sirius smiled again and accepted the apology saying that it didn't matter anymore now that it was all over.

"So dad, what's this surprise I heard about," Draco asked.

"Yes, I'm curious about that as well," Severus added.

"Ah," Lucius said clapping his hands together. "I almost forgot. You see, I was talking to Sirius after the trial ended and I realized that he really didn't have anywhere to go, so instead of having him rent a hotel room I offered him a place to stay here!"

Harry couldn't help but feel excited about spending more time with his godfather. He was looking forward to getting to know the man. He looked over at the shocked face on Severus. For a split moment it looked like he was worried but Harry couldn't really tell.

"Jeez, how many more people are you going to have live with us," Draco joked. Lucius chuckled a little.

"So, I'm sure dinner will be ready soon. How about we all move inside," he suggested.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

"So Harry, is it a relief now that you're not the only Gryffindor in the house anymore," Sirius asked trying to start a little conversation. Harry looked up at him.

"Well I'm not a Gryffindor anymore," he corrected. Sirius furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"What do you mean? Even though it's the summer holidays you're still a Gryffindor," he stated.

"No I mean I was in Gryffindor for my first year but then I was resorted into Slytherin."

Sirius stared at the boy in shock. How could James' son not be in Gryffindor? That made no sense. And why was he resorted after only one year?

"You see Sirius, it turned out that Dumbledore forced the hat to put Harry into Gryffindor so when we found out, the Board of Governors decided to cover it up by resorting Harry's entire year saying that the sorting hat had been jinxed," Lucius explained.

"I heard about that," Sirius recalled. "But I would never have thought that Harry would be in Slytherin. I don't think any member of the Potter family has been sorted anywhere other than Gryffindor."

Out of the corner of his eye, Sirius saw Harry look down with a somewhat sad expression. Shit. He didn't want to do anything to push his godson away after he had just met him again.

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing," he quickly added. "It's just surprising."

He relaxed when Harry seemed to recover from his previous insensitive statement. Sirius internally scolded himself. He knew he had a habit of just blurting out what he was thinking before considering other's feelings. He would have to watch himself so he didn't hurt Harry.

"So we should be asking you how you feel about being the only Gryffindor in this house," Lucius said trying to change the subject. Sirius looked around at the others at the table who were eating while silently listening to the conversation.

"Like I'm horribly outnumbered," he grumbled. Both Harry and Draco giggled. Sirius took this as a sign that he hadn't upset Harry too much.

"Oh," Harry said as if he just realized something. "You're awake."

Sirius was about to ask the boy what he was talking about when a snake poked its head out from under this sweater. Seeing the creature wrapped around his godsons neck, Sirius shot up out of his chair causing it to clatter onto the floor. Harry raised his hands desperately in the 'calm down' motion. Lucius and Draco began to laugh while Snape covered his mouth but Sirius knew he was snickering at him.

"It's okay. She's my friend," Harry explained hurriedly. Sirius took a few seconds to calm down before retrieving his chair from the floor and sitting back down. He definitely didn't expect Harry to have a snake familiar but he supposed it was appropriate for a Slytherin.

"I'm assuming it's not poisonous," he said wanting to make sure.

"Oh no. She's an Aesculapian snake and she was born on Hogwarts property so she's kinda the opposite of poisonous," Harry explained. Sirius just gave him a blank look.

"Harry, they don't cover Aesculapian snakes in Hogwarts and you're talking to a guy who's never voluntarily walked into a library," Severus commented. Sirius growled t him. Harry gave a small snicker before continuing.

"Because she was born on magical grounds she absorbed the schools magic as a baby so she became a magical creature. Aesculapians have special healing abilities and live a long time but since she's still young her venom only works as an anti-venom against other snake bites."

The last statement triggered Sirius' memory. He remembered Lucius rambling about Harry being bitten by the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets but someone saved him.

"Wait, so this is Euryale?"

The snake looked over at him as if it recognized its name, which it probably did since it was a magical creature.

"Yeah, I believe I mentioned her before," Lucius recalled.

"Yeah but you skipped out on the her being a snake part. She's the one that saved you in the Chamber of Secrets," Sirius asked. Harry nodded.

"That's an amazing snake."

Harry looked over at her then back to him.

"She says thank you. Oh, and she wants food."

Sirius was confused again. Did the snake have a telepathic power too?

"Oh I guess I never mentioned the other little detail about Harry," Lucius realized. He looked over at Harry. "Well, I guess you can tell him. It is your news to share after all."

Harry shifted a little in his seat.

"Well, Mr. Black," he started.

"Please call me Sirius. It's just sad if my own godson feels he has to use my last name," Sirius corrected.

"Oh, well Sirius," Harry started again. "I'm a parceltongue. I guess that's one of the reasons why I was placed in Slytherin house."

Sirius sat there and stared at the boy for a little bit. Parceltongue? Now that was really strange. Why would a member of the famous Potter family, who are rumored to be descendants of Godric Gryffindor himself, have a trait that Salazar Slytherin had? Things like that were usually passed down through family but James had never said anything about it, and it seemed like something his late best friend would have mentioned. He knew Harry couldn't have gotten it from Lilly since both of her parents were muggles and she was the start of her family's magical line, but then again, maybe she wasn't. It could have been possible that one of her parents was actually a squib or maybe a grandparent and therefore the gene had remained dormant. It was an interesting theory. He would have to look into it. Or more likely have someone else do it for him since he was useless when it came to research of any kind.

"Sirius?"

Sirius snapped out of his thoughts and looked around at everyone. They seemed to be waiting for some kind of reaction from him. Harry was looking worried.

"I'm sorry," Sirius apologized. "I was just thinking about how he could have gotten a trait like that. It's very rare."

"Yes I've heard that," Harry commented.

"I bet it must be cool. Have you ever thought about using Euryale for pranks? I bet you could scare the hell out of girls," Sirius laughed.

"Don't teach him things," Snape snapped. Sirius stuck out his tongue at the other man.

"I don't think she would appreciate it if I asked her to do stuff like that," Harry chuckled.

"I'm surprised Fred and George haven't already asked you about that," Draco commented with a giggle.

"Who said they didn't?"

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Lucius smiled to himself as he poured himself some tea. The day had gone very well. Harry seemed to really like Sirius and the two were getting along quite splendidly. He had been worried about what Sirius' reaction would be to Harry being in Slytherin but he seemed fine. He also didn't freak out when Harry told him he was a parceltongue. Lucius was glad Sirius had gotten over that animosity towards Slytherins that many Gryffindors seemed to have.

Lucius wasn't sure when the hatred between the houses had started but it seemed it was becoming a problem in recent years. The housing and point systems were created to inspire friendly competition between students but it seems to have become something that was used to define you as a person. People would judge one another based on what house they had been sorted into years after they had left the school. It almost made Lucius want to work to get rid of the whole system altogether but he knew it would never happen.

Lucius took another sip of his tea and leaned back into his chair. He had already said goodnight to both boys and was now trying to relax himself before bed. A knock on the door caught his attention and he called for whoever it was to just walk in. Severus came in wearing a black pajama robe over dark gray pajama pants. His hair was wet so Lucius figured he had just had a shower. He also had a serious expression on her face.

"It's too late to have that kind of face my friend," he teased. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Yes I'll take some. I actually wanted to discuss something with you," Severus accepted.

Lucius poured another cup and handed it to the younger man. He waited quietly while Severus inhaled the sent and sat down in a chair opposite of him. He had a feeling this was going to be a conversation about something personal because Severus was taking his time to gather his thoughts. If he was going to talk business he would have just dived right in. It was somewhat cute how uncomfortable he would get when he had to discuss his personal feelings.

"Lucius, I wanted to talk to you about Sirius and his living here," Severus started. Lucius nodded for him to continue. "Look, I know you've just got out of such a horrible marriage and I know you're going to want to find someone you can date and really fall in love with, which I fully support, but I think you should watch yourself around Sirius."

'Oh,' Lucius thought to himself. 'He must think something's going on between me and Sirius because I invited him to live with us.'

"Look, I know it seems kind of suspicious that I invited him here but I had very legitimate reasons why I did it. He has been locked up for years so I was worried about how he would act after being thrown into public so I figured if he lived here he could slowly venture out and get used to how things have changed. I also wanted Harry to be close to his godfather and it's a lot easier to have both of his legal guardians living together instead of them fighting over custody issues," he explained.

"No, I agree it was a smart decision and I figured nothing had happened yet, but I know how much of a flirt you are when you're away from other people, and I've heard a lot of how Sirius is from Lily," Severus said looking somewhat stern. Lucius suddenly felt like a young girl getting a 'stay away from bad boys' lecture from her father.

"I didn't know Sirius was gay," Lucius commented. "I mean he flirts a lot with me but I figured he was just teasing."

"He's bisexual, and I'm just concerned about you. I know that you're trying to hide it but I can see you're fragile when it comes to… matters of the heart. Sirius is a very good man but from what Lily used to tell me there is no denying that he's a bit of a player," Severus clarified. Lucius raised an eyebrow.

"You mean he cheats?"

"Well no. Not that."

"He plays the field? There's nothing wrong with that. It's actually healthy to date around until you find the type of person you want to have a relationship with," Lucius stated knowingly.

"Lucius he's never been in an actual relationship," Severus blurted. Lucius stared at him for a moment.

"What? What do you mean by that?"

"I've heard this from both Lily and James just after they were married. They said they were both concerned about him because he only ever has sex friends. He'll hang out with a man or woman to get to know them, they'll have sex for a few months, and then he'll get bored and move on to someone else. He doesn't do it on purpose but it seems he forgets to inform the other party of his intentions sometimes and they end up heartbroken," Severus explained with a concerned expression.

Lucius couldn't deny he felt a little disappointed but he was glad he found out now before he started to really feel something for the animagus or even worse, after having sex with him. Lucius always thought of sex as an extremely sacred thing, yes it was fun and it felt amazing, but the thought of doing it with someone he didn't really love or who didn't love him was painful.

"I see. Well thank you Severus. If he tries to start anything I'll simply tell him what I think of the situation and how I feel about 'sex friends'. I'm assuming he wouldn't lie to me about actually liking me to get me into bed."

Severus shook his head.

"No. For the most part he's pretty straight forward about that stuff. From what James tells me he hated it when people would get confused and get hurt when he stopped seeing them. He'll respect your response and he probably won't act awkward afterwards," he said thoughtfully.

Lucius nodded and gulped down the rest of his tea. He suddenly felt very tired. Severus finished his own tea and bid him goodnight before he left. Lucius shut the door after him and leaned against it. With a heavy sigh he walked back to his bed.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Sirius happily ran through the grassy field that stretched over the Malfoy lands. He loved to exercise in his dog form. Not only was it more enjoyable but it still worked his regular form's muscles. This had been an amazing summer. He had spent almost the entire time with Harry and Draco as well. He had been ecstatic to celebrate the boy's birthday with him. He hadn't done that since he was born so in honor of that fact he bought him a new broom just like he had back then. It was the latest model of course. Sirius didn't often go for the expensive stuff but he made an exception when it came to brooms. He had wanted to go flying with them but he didn't feel strong enough yet. He had also spent a lot of time with Lucius.

The blonde had explained to him after Sirius started living at the manor that because of his status in wizarding society he had been forced to act a certain way in public but while at the manor he acted completely different. It explained his peculiar attitude changes and Sirius understood the pressure that pureblood children were put under by their parents to act a certain way. His own had tried the same with him, except it didn't work. Sirius promised Lucius that he would not to tell anyone how he really acted when no one was looking. He didn't want to do anything to hurt his new friend. Lucius had become very important to him over the last few months. He had given him his freedom back as well as a home and he had taken such good care of his godson when Sirius wasn't able to. He was eternally grateful to Lucius for all he had done and had made a promise to himself that he would one day pay him back.

Sirius slowed down his pace as he made his way back to the manor. In his dog form, he could smell breakfast being laid out. Most likely Severus was already there. He seemed to be a morning person like he was. Sirius hadn't expected to get used to living with his old bullying victim so quickly but after they managed to put everything behind them it all fell into place. Sirius didn't mind the other man but he still wasn't friendly. Not because he used to be a Slytherin, Sirius had forced himself to throw away all his previous beliefs about people who cane from that house after Harry turned out to be one of them, and it also didn't have anything to do with their past. It was just that Severus was way too serious and stand-offish. In other words, their personalities didn't match at all. But the one good thing was that they seemed to come to an understanding about how to work together to take care of Harry. They had discussed the situation the day after the three had returned from Hogwarts.

**XxxxFlashbackxxxX**

Sirius sat down at the small table in Severus' personal potions lab. The open window behind it provided much needed relief from the fumes of the potion his old classmate was working on. Sirius decided that this conversation would be a lot less confrontational if one of them was working on something else during it instead of them both sitting down and facing each other like it was a formal business meeting. Severus was working on some kind of healing potion that Madame Pomfrey had asked him to make for the hospital wing.

"So, I guess James and Lily decided we needed to work together to take care of Harry," Sirius started uncomfortably. He hated big conversations like these.

"Yes, that is what the will stated. That and they left everything to Harry who will get it all when he comes of age. The only thing he can access now is a small vault with enough money to get him through school plus a little extra. I have the key to it hidden in my things," Severus explained not looking up from his work.

"He's been using that to pay for his school things?"

"No, I figured it was my duty as his guardian to pay for that myself. That vault hasn't been touched."

"Well, I guess now it's our job. You've done an excellent job with Harry but now I want to do my part as well," Sirius explained.

"Yes, so how would you like to do this? Like a divorced couple? I'll be in charge of Harry during the school since I'm there with him and you'll be in charge during the summer? Or did you want to do a every other week thing and split the holidays," Severus suggested.

"First of all, don't ever refer to us as a couple again. No matter what kind," Sirius said with a shudder.

"Very well," Severus said in an annoyed tone.

"And second, I think the reason James and Lily wanted us to both be Harry's guardians is because they wanted us to work together. I think if we split up our time with Harry it would just be hard on him," Sirius said thoughtfully. As much as it had been a shock when he first found out, the more Sirius thought about it, the more he realized that he would be lost if he had to take care of Harry on his own. He needed someone's help and who would be better than the best friend of the boy's mother? Even if he didn't personally care for the man, for Harry, Sirius would fight to make this work. He owed the boy that, and much more.

Severus made a thoughtful humming sound as he began crushing up a powder with a mortar and pestle. Sirius was impressed that the man could still make potions while thinking about something so serious. He could barely make a decent potion using all of his concentration.

"I agree but I don't think we can just discuss everything in one sitting like this. I suggest we discuss things as they come up and during the school year I will send you regular letters of Harry's progress so you don't feel left out because I'm there with him and you're not."

"That sounds like a good plan but I think there are some things we can discuss now," Sirius agreed.

"Such as?"

"What time do you have Harry going to bed?"

"The same time Lucius sends Draco to bed. About nine o'clock. It's a good time for a boy his age and it would cause arguments if the two boys' bed times were different. Especially since they live together," Severus stated examining the powder in the mortar.

"That seems fair. You don't have him study over the summer holidays do you?"

"No he does that himself. He doesn't reread his schoolbooks but he reads extra spell books and other things like that. After spending all those years in the muggle world he likes to learn about magic," Severus explained adding the powder to the potion while mixing it.

"I guess if it's voluntary it's okay," Sirius mused.

"Is it really that big of a deal if he studies? He's a student. That's what he's supposed to do."

"Yeah, at Hogwarts, but this is his vacation. He's supposed to be relaxing," Sirius argued.

"He relaxes well enough. Is there anything else you want to talk about," Severus asked.

"Not now. I'll get back to you if I think of something," Sirius answered standing up to leave.

"Oh, and by the way, I'm very impressed on how mature you're being. I'm sure Harry will be much happier with the situation now that we've come to an understanding."

Sirius thanked Severus before leaving him to his work.

**XxxxFlashbackEndxxxX**

"Good morning Sirius," Lucius mumbled from his spot at the outdoor table. Sirius stopped and morphed back into a human so he could greet the politician. He seemed to be having tea and scones outside. There were some extra cups so Sirius sat down and helped himself. The table overlooked the massive garden that was now shining in the morning sun from the dew that had collected overnight. It seemed like a peaceful place to have breakfast.

"What's the matter? Did my angel wake up on the wrong side of his cloud," Sirius teased. Lucius' mouth twitched like it wanted to smile but he kept his face neutral. Sirius had taken to calling Lucius by the nickname when others weren't around. He didn't want Harry or even worse Draco to hear and get uncomfortable.

"I have a long day of meetings ahead of me. It's hard to be peppy when you know your about to have your ass kissed by over a dozen ministry officials looking for favors," Lucius sighed.

Sirius gave the stressed man a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. He wished he could do something for him. Unfortunately, he didn't know much about politics despite being the head of the Black family and therefore expected to take some kind of role in the Ministry. It seemed that all the heads of wealthy and historical families were expected to be politicians of some kind. Sirius watched as Lucius gave him a half hearted smile. He supposed he could at least try to get rid of the man's tension.

"If you want, after you get back I could kiss your ass in a way that you'll love," he whispered seductively. Lucius' face bloomed a very lovely shade of red.

"Um… thanks but I'm not interested in that sort of thing," he mumbled shyly.

"Really? Because your blush says otherwise," Sirius teased poking Lucius' cheek.

"No, I mean, I do go that way but… I just don't go for casual sex," Lucius stumbled over his words. Sirius' eyes widened and he retracted his hand.

"Oh, you're a romantic. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he apologized. Lucius shook his head.

"I don't mind a little harmless flirting but I just thought I should make that clear," he explained. Sirius nodded his understanding. It was okay if Lucius felt that way, Sirius was just going to have to come up with another way to help the man release tension. Perhaps drinking, he thought to himself.

"That's fine. I'm glad you didn't get too offended. I'd hate to have my little angel mad at me," Sirius joked trying to lighten the mood. Lucius looked over at him and gave him a small smile. Sirius felt his heart quicken a bit but figured it was because of the energy boost he was getting from the tea.

"How could I stay mad at my little puppy," Lucius teased back. Sirius gave a light hearted laugh and took a big bite of a scone.

"Anyways, I'm glad you're getting along so well with Harry. You guys have been spending a lot of time together," Lucius commented.

"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "We have a lot to catch up on."

"Well, enjoy this while it lasts. Before you know it they'll all be back at Hogwarts."

Sirius couldn't help but give a canine-like whine at Lucius' sad tone. The other man chuckled at the reaction.

"I'm sorry. I guess I'm being a bit of a downer this morning. You don't have to mind me."

"Do you get lonely when they're gone," Sirius asked even though the answer was plain to see. Lucius nodded at him.

"Their first was almost unbearable but half of that was because the manor was under the control of a malevolent demon. Your cousin," Lucius explained when he saw Sirius' confused look. "And last year was also hard. It kinda felt like I was getting left behind but at least I could distract myself with your case."

"I guess I don't even have to be physically present to be distracting," Sirius grinned. Lucius laughed and shook his head.

"Listen I'm actually really glad you're going to be here from now on. It'll be nice to have a friend around instead of me drowning myself in work," Lucius said with a brilliant smile.

"Surely you have other friends. I'm sure people would be tripping over themselves for a chance to hang out with the great Lord Malfoy."

Lucius shook his head.

"All my life, I've been forced to act cold and distant towards others. My father was insistent about drilling it into my head how behaving like I wanted to was shameful and disgusting," Lucius explained. Although he was talking about something so sad, his face remained passive. Sirius wondered if he had put on his mask again. "So now I have major trust issues towards people. I have a hard time revealing who I really am. So it's hard for me to get along with others. Severus has been my only true friend."

"How do you plan on getting a lover if you can't even make friends," Sirius asked before he could stop himself. He regretted it the moment the last word left his mouth. Lucius suddenly looked like he was about to cry.

"I-I suppose you're right. It might be impossible for me," he said quietly.

"No it's not," Sirius said loudly startling Lucius. "You're an amazing man and anyone would be lucky to have you as a lover. You just need to work hard to get comfortable letting people see behind that stuffy, uptight mask of yours."

Lucius' eyes narrowed and he gave Sirius a sarcastic thanks.

"I mean it. I'll help you. I know plenty of places you can go to meet people. Some of them are really relaxed and low key. They're perfect for romantics like you."

"I'll bet you know a lot of places."

"I know a lot of men too."

"Are you a man whore?"

"I prefer the term lovable."

"I'm sure you do."

"I am lovable!"

To prove his point, Sirius transformed into his dog form and jumped down from the chair. He had done this several times when he had to apologize to Lily for making some tactless comment. He sat down in front of Lucius who looked down at him curiously. He lifted one of his front paws as if it were hurt to make himself look vulnerable and let out a soft whine. Lucius' eyes widened.

"Are you begging," he cried incredulously. Sirius bowed his head a little and looked up. "I'm not falling for it."

Sirius let out another whine. Lucius wasn't moving. He was going to have to go for his killer move. He walked a little closer to Lucius and placed his head in his lap and looked up at him with his saddest puppy eyes. This time, it was Lucius that made a whining sound.

"Okay I take it back you are adorable," he said with a manly squeal as he wrapped his arms around Sirius' canine body.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: How was that? Okay, so since there is no prisoner of Azkaban it is useless for me to cover third year and I will be skipping most of fourth year as well. (Obviously I will include the graveyard scene since it is pretty important.) Again I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. Until next time. Heehee. Bye!**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: As I said I would, I skipped over third year. It just wasn't necessary to this story which is already long enough. And so, I present to you, the beginning of Harry's fourth year! Enjoy!**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Harry woke up with a start. He was sweating and heaving from his nightmare. He kept having the same one over and over. If this continued he might have to bring it up with Severus. He didn't want to seem like a little kid crying over scary dreams but he was starting to lose sleep. Harry looked over at Ron who was still snoring. He envied his friends peaceful sleep. It had taken Harry so long to get to sleep in the first place and now he was awake again. He lifted his covers and looked mournfully at the warm bed that only held his body. This was the first time in almost two years that Euryale wasn't sleeping with him. Normally, she would be coiled up next to him, basking in his body warmth. He wondered how she was doing. Mrs. Weasley had requested that he not bring her with him to the Burrow. She had made up some elaborate excuse about using rat poison to get rid of rodents but Harry had a suspicion that she just didn't want a snake in her house but didn't want to say it.

Euryale had grown quite a bit and was almost an adult snake now. Harry had been concerned that this meant her life span would be short as well but Hermione assured him it was natural and that Euryale would most likely live longer than he did. She had grown to be about five feet but was luckily still skinny enough to where it wasn't a problem for him to carry her around his neck still. She was just wrapped around a few more times. Her bright green scales had darkened a bit. The only thing that didn't change was her personality. Although she seemed to understand things a bit more, she still never called anyone by their real name but Harry didn't mind since the names were often amusing.

Harry let out a loud sigh and got up out of bed. He could hear someone bustling around outside the room. He opened the door to see Hermione and Ginny exiting the bathroom. They were carrying brushes and make-up so it looked like they had gotten ready together.

"I don't know. Maybe I should start wearing my hair up? I could wear barrettes that way or maybe ribbons," Ginny said fiddling with her hair.

"I'm telling you Ginny, your hair's fine. It may not be like all the other girls but it's cute, and the color matches you well. Your hair is…well… you," Hermione assured. Harry tried to sneak past the girls without being noticed. He hoped he wouldn't be pulled into the conversation, he didn't understand girl's fascination with their hair.

"But it's so plain, and I hate this color. I know I'm supposed to have pride in it since it's a family thing but I don't think it's for me," Ginny whined. She gave a sad look that made Harry feel really bad for her. He knew he might regret it but he decided to say something.

"Your hair's not plain. It shines very well in the light and gives you a nice glow, and I agree with Hermione. You just wouldn't be Ginny without red hair."

Ginny jumped when she first heard Harry talking but after he was finished she lowered her head and her face became red. Was she really that embarrassed about her hair?

"You see Ginny? Even Harry agrees you look fine," Hermione finished.

"You really like my hair," Ginny asked.

"Of course. Why would I lie to you," Harry asked.

"That doesn't matter. Get ready and hurry up and eat. We'll be leaving in a bit so I'll wake up Ron," Hermione instructed. Harry refrained from rolling his eyes at her motherly tone. Hermione was as bossy as when he first met her but her heart was in the right place. Harry hurried into the bathroom to do as she said.

As happy as Harry was to spend this time with his friends, it was a bit of a hassle to go to the Burrow the night before the Quidditch world cup. His papa and Draco were going to be there as well but had their own tent. Papa had received an invitation from Fudge to attend and had been given excellent seats but that was after Harry had already agreed to go with Ron and his family. Fudge had given papa three tickets since he knew that Harry a son to the aristocrat but Harry didn't want to seem like a jerk by canceling on his friends, the extra ticket went to Sirius. Severus had opted to stay home despite being invited by Mr. Weasley to come along with them.

"It would be money wasted I'm afraid. The only quidditch games I'm interested in are the ones that Harry and Draco are in," he had said politely.

As fun as it would have been to have Severus with them, Harry understood the man's reasons. Plus it would have been awkward for everyone else since he was their dastardly evil potions professor and they probably would have felt uncomfortable sharing a tent with him. Harry had grown to really enjoy the older man's company. He always felt calm and warm in his presence so he would often find excuses to be with him. Severus didn't seem to mind and often let Harry help him make potions. It was probably weird for a boy Harry's age to want to spend so much time with an older man like Severus instead of hanging out with friends but Harry didn't care. He loved spending time with Severus.

"Hey Harry," Ginny called from the bathroom doorway getting his attention. Harry put down his hair brush and looked over. "I suggest grabbing some breakfast before my brothers eat it all."

"Good idea. Thanks Ginny."

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

It was amazing. Harry had never seen such a large crowd of people. They were all packed in the large stadium cheering and waiting for the match to start. Harry had seen papa, Draco, and Sirius on his way up to his seats and had waved to them. Sirius had enthusiastically waved back and tried to make a bet with Mr. Weasley on who would win the game. The twins had tried to join in but were pulled away by their father. The game was very tense and exciting. Harry didn't sit down in his seat the entire time. He didn't really care who won but that didn't stop him from yelling and cheering until his throat was sore. In the end the Irish won and everyone slowly dispersed to their own celebration parties.

Everyone was in good spirits, even those who had cheered for Bulgaria. Harry noticed a lot of people crowding around their mascots and shouting compliments and boasting achievements Harry doubted were actually true. The twins had told him about the mascots being veelas. They were supposed to be like the sirens in Greek mythology. To Harry that just made them sound dangerous. Beautiful, but dangerous. Still, Harry couldn't help but be curious so he peeked through the crowd at the creatures. They were indeed beautiful, but Harry didn't feel any powerful draw to them. Apparently Ron did because he too shouted out an obvious lie to impress the veela women and was pulled away by Hermione. Harry laughed and followed after them.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Sirius grabbed another drink and gulped it down. How could Bulgaria have lost? He had lost a quite a bit of money on this game. Not enough to put him in debt or financially cripple him but just enough to be slightly depressed over. Lucius was busy talking to the minister of magic and Draco was out looking around at the other parties. He glanced over at Lucius who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Sirius guessed that Fudge was asking for his support on some kind of campaign or something. Sirius let out a sigh. He knew he should probably go out and party with everyone else but he would feel bad leaving his friend at the mercy of the dimwitted politician.

"Lucius," he called getting both men's attention. "I hate to interrupt but your son left a while ago to look around. Should we go fetch him before he gets into trouble?"

"Yes I suppose. We wouldn't want him to have too much fun and embarrass himself," Lucius replied coldly. As much as Sirius wanted to punch him whenever he had his political mask on, he had to admit it came in handy. Fudge didn't even try to stop him as Lucius bid him farewell and exited his tent.

"Thanks for that. Every time he asks for something he has to give me his entire life story up until that point. I swear I could be his biographer after I finish strangling him to death," Lucius muttered. He relaxed as they walked through the crowd. After almost a year of hard work, he had gotten more comfortable relaxing in public. Sirius had introduced him to a few places where he could meet people but in the end it always ended with him pulling Lucius away from men who he knew was either looking for a one night stand or just someone to play with until they got bored. Sirius couldn't help but be a little overprotective of the other man. He was his friend and he couldn't let him get hurt, right?

"No problem. I was getting bored but I was being serious about finding Draco. He's still a kid and people can get pretty rowdy at these kinds of things," Sirius pointed out looking around for the younger blonde. He had grown to care for Draco just as much as he did Harry and the thought of him getting caught by a group of drunks up to know good made his stomach turn. He was regretting his decision to let him walk around but in his defense there weren't nearly as many drunk people around at the time.

"Why don't we check where Arthur Weasley set up his tent? I'm sure that's where he went. I told him where it was," Lucius suggested avoiding two women who ran past them laughing loudly. The campground was total chaos.

"Great. Where is it? Lead the way my guardian angel," Sirius laughed. Lucius' face turned bright red. "Oh don't get embarrassed. No one can hear us over all this noise."

"Still, there are reporters everywhere and I don't want them getting the wrong idea," Lucius mumbled. Sirius was about to open his mouth to argue when a loud boom cut him off. He turned around to see flames from some sort of explosion. Did someone drop a case of alcohol onto a fire? There were loud terrified screams and people began running past them. Sirius instinctively pulled Lucius behind him and searched for the source of the commotion. His heart stopped when he spotted the first cloaked figure.

"Death Eaters," he hissed. He felt a hand grab his arm with bruising strength. He winced and turned back to Lucius.

"We can't fight them now. We need to find Draco and Harry," Lucius cried. Sirius nodded and the two men took off running. People screamed and loud explosions tore through the air as Sirius followed Lucius. They stopped after they departed from the main crowd. Lucius ran into a tent only to reemerge before Sirius could even get close to its entrance.

"They're not here. What if the death eaters caught them," he panicked. Sirius grabbed him and gave him a light shake.

"Calm down. I'm sure they escaped to the woods you should go too," Sirius said quickly scanning the area.

"What about you?"

"I'm going to help people who were left behind. Don't worry about me I can take care of myself. Go find your sons," he ordered. Lucius took a deep breath and nodded. He ran to the woods and Sirius turned towards the loud noises. He put away his wand and transformed into his dog form. It would be easier to find people that way. He ran off stopping to smell the ground and air. He came across one death eater pointing a wand at a younger boy. He let out a fierce bark and lunged at them. He bit down savagely on the death eater's arm and tore through skin. The other man took out his own wand and used it to disarm the foe while he was distracted. Sirius let go and picked up the discarded want with his mouth and broke it in his jaws. The now wandless enemy fled the scene holding his injured arm.

"Sirius!"

Sirius turned at hearing his name and saw Draco walking up to him. He had been so focused on the death eater he hadn't even stopped to look at who he was saving. He quickly changed to his human form.

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you," he asked frantically. He looked over Draco's body but didn't see any signs of blood.

"I'm fine, but for a moment it felt like that person was going to kill me. Have you seen my dad or Harry?"

"I don't know where Harry is but your father's in the woods looking for you. Can you go there by yourself," Sirius asked feeling somewhat guilty for even thinking of leaving the boy by himself after what had almost happened to him. Draco simply put on a brave face and nodded.

"I'll be okay. Others might need your help. I'll look for father so he calms down. I'm sure he's going insane with worry by now," Draco smirked before taking off for the woods. Sirius scanned the area surrounding the boy's path for any signs of danger before turning back into a dog and continuing his search.

A familiar scent reached his canine nose and he took off after it. His heart beat wildly. He knew who it was. The rioting sounds had all but completely died down and everything was still. A bright flash of a spell caught Sirius' eye and he looked up. He skidded to a halt. That evil mark, his mark, stared back at him. Sirius growled at the symbol of the man that had taken one of his best friends from him.

Loud yelling noises caught his attention and Sirius again took off. The sight before him triggered his protective instincts and he ran even faster. Harry and his friends were huddled together as other wizards had their wands pointed at them. Sirius wasted no time jumping in between them and growling savagely at the idiots who dared to threaten his godson. Several of them let out startled gasps but no one fired their wands.

"Calm down Sirius. This is all just a misunderstanding, they're not going to hurt the kids," Mr. Weasley assured coming from the side. Sirius took a closer look at the group and recognized several ministry officials. He morphed back into his human form but still stood protectively between them and Harry. Barty Crouch Sr. was the first to speak.

"They did it! They were discovered at the scene. I demand to know which one of you cast it," he accused. He was shakily pointing his wand at the scared students behind Sirius.

"If you can't get ahold of yourself, I suggest you lower your wand before someone else gets hurt," he growled.

"You were also discovered at the scene of the crime. You'll have to be taken in for questioning."

"Barty, stop jumping to conclusions. These are kids, they couldn't have possibly cast the spell and I believe it has already been proven that there is no evidence linking Sirius to any death eater activities," Arthur reasoned. It seemed that Barty agreed with the redhead and lowered his wand.

"Um," Harry said getting everyone's attention. "I saw a man, over there."

Harry pointed to where Sirius had seen the flash of light from the spell. The group of ministry officials ran in the direction he indicated.

"A man? Who," Arthur questioned.

"I don't know," Harry answered sounding shaken. "I didn't see his face."

"Are all of you alright? Any injuries," Sirius asked.

"I broke my glasses again but otherwise I'm fine," Harry answered. Sirius repaired them with a charm and looked over the other children. They all looked fine, scared, but fine.

"Let's regroup back at the tent. I'm sure everyone's in desperate need of a small rest. We'll be going straight home after I get everyone together. Your mother will want to make sure you're all right," Arthur said gentle herding everyone away.

Sirius looked back over the now quiet campground. It seemed like only a minute ago it was filled with drunken partygoers and loud music. Now it looked like a battleground after all the fighting had stopped. The only thing Sirius could think of was why? Why would death eaters attack now? Why a place filled with just as many purebloods as there were halfbloods and muggleborns? It made no sense. It was senseless destruction. A hand wrapped itself around his and Sirius was pulled out of his thoughts. He looked over to see Harry looking up at him.

"Is papa and Draco okay," he asked. Sirius still felt conflicted about hearing Harry call someone besides James papa but in the end he felt it was okay as long as Harry remembered who his real father was.

"Lucius was with me when everything started. I sent him to the woods to wait for you. I found Draco while I was running around. He had a close call but he's safe and unharmed," Sirius assured. Harry looked relieved.

"Come on. Let's get your stuff and go home. I doubt there's no way Lucius will let you out of his sight for a while," Sirius smiled.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Narcissa couldn't help but feel annoyed. Now she was going to have to sneak into Knockturn Alley to get a new wand. She unwrapped her still bleeding arm. Vigo was wetting a small cloth to clean her wound. That damn dog. She internally vowed that if she ever saw it again she would skin it alive. She had been so close to ridding herself of that no good, treacherous son. It had been perfect. She had him on the grounds and cowering like the little weasel he was. She let out a hiss as the cloth touched her wound. Vigo apologized and returned to his work.

"Um, Miss Black," came a weak stuttering voice.

Narcissa looked to the doorway where Pettigrew was cowering. It was amusing how the man always looked like he expected to get hit. He looked just as frightened as he did the night she stole him from the Weasley brat. She had recognized the rat in a picture that was taken of the Weasley family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet. She had been enraged that he was hiding by pretending to be some over groomed vermin instead of searching for a way to help his master like she was. Narcissa simply couldn't have that. She had wanted to remain under the radar at the time so she refrained from slitting the boy's neck in his sleep when she broke into his room. She switched Pettigrew with a normal dead rat to avoid any suspicion and took off. Since then he had proven himself quite capable after applying the proper motivation.

"What is it you useless rat," she snapped.

"Our Lord wants to know if the raid succeeded," the cowering mass relayed.

"Tell him yes. We have gained our loss brother and I will begin briefing him on his mission immediately," Narcissa answered in a sweet tone as if she were talking to the master himself. Pettigrew nodded and scurried off.

"I'm done cleaning the wound love. I'll have a house elf wrap it properly since I'm afraid I'm not skilled at wrapping wounds," Vigo apologized giving a shy smile.

"Nor should you be my darling," Narcissa said stiffly. "It's servants work."

"Are you alright love? You sound stressed. Is there anything I can help you with," Vigo asked.

"Not at the moment. I'm afraid I have several things I must do before I can rest. You just go on to bed but don't forget to send that house elf with the bandaging."

Vigo nodded and stood up. He lent down and gave Narcissa a quick peck before leaving the room. Looking up at the clock, Narcissa sighed. It was already morning.

"So much to do," she mused. "So little sleep."

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Severus took another swig of his drink. It was quiet in the manor with everyone gone. It was peaceful and lonely at the same time. It had been weird enough with Harry being gone the day before but with everyone else being gone for the night as well it was somewhat depressing. Severus found himself almost wishing he had just gone with them. He absently stroked Euryale's scales. She was currently coiled on his lap on the verge of sleep. Looking down at her he let out a long sigh. It was very early in the morning. He should probably go to his room and allow himself and the poor reptile some sleep. The snake seemed to stick to him when Harry wasn't around. Harry said it was because she was more comfortable with him than with anyone else in the manor. Severus had been shocked at first since animals normally hated him but after thinking about it, he figured it only made sense that a snake would be the one creature that tolerates him.

Severus stood up and began his journey to his room. He hadn't realized how tired he was until the moment he saw his bed. It looked so inviting. He made sure to be gentle with Euryale when he placed her on the bed. He didn't even bother physically changing his clothes. Severus waved his wand and quickly transfigured his robes into pajamas before collapsing on top of the silk sheets. He could hear Euryale slither over so she could sleep with her body pressed against his. Severus didn't even move and just let the snake do as it pleased. Once she was comfortable, Severus felt his eyes start closing and a world of sweet unconsciousness crept closer.

"Master Snape?"

"Dobby, the manor better be under attack," Severus heard himself growl.

"Everyone seems to have come back early. They said there was a riot at World Cup."

Severus didn't even realize he had moved his body until he was already halfway down the hall. He should have known something like this would happen. Hell, a simple picnic could to turn into a life threatening occurrence once Harry got involved. He quickly spotted a very wary looking Lucius with two equally tired looking boys wrapped in his arms making their war to their rooms.

"What happened," he demanded.

"Death Eaters," Sirius answered coming up behind them. "They came out of nowhere and attacked the campground but we're all alright."

Severus breathed a sigh of relief. That was all that mattered right now.

"Can we have this discussion tomorrow," Draco mumbled as he stumbled away from his father and into his room without even waiting for an answer.

"Yes I believe I've had far too much excitement for one night. Good night Harry," Lucius said giving Harry a tight hug before retiring to his room as well. Sirius bid everyone goodnight as well before leaving Harry and Severus alone together. Harry rubbed his eye and looked over at him.

"So how have you been," he asked politely. Severus couldn't help but chuckle. Even with him being as tired as he was, Harry still made an effort to be courteous to others.

"You don't have to make small talk with me Harry. I know you're just as tired as I am if not more. Are you sure your fatigue is your only ailment after yet another brush with death?"

"Hey I wasn't in that much danger," Harry defended. "And I'm fine."

"Yes of course. Euryale is in my room right now. Do you want to get her before you go to sleep or wait until tomorrow?"

"Now, she's probably anxious since this is the longest we've ever been apart."

Severus nodded.

"I may not be a parceltongue but I can see she is out of sorts. She reacts to almost every noise and she refuses to let me out of her sight for more than a few minutes."

Harry walked as if he was dragging a half ton weight behind him all the way to Severus' chambers. Severus felt a little guilty for not just brining Euryale to his room for him. The more the boy walked the more exhaustion seemed to take over him. Harry opened the door to Severus' room and walked straight to the bed where the snake raised its head expectantly. Harry murmured something in parceltongue and the snake hissed back a little. Severus watched the interaction but said nothing until he noticed Harry climb onto the bed.

"Harry? What are you doing," he asked moving closer.

"Going to sleep," Harry muttered quietly. He began to pull the covers over himself. He still had his normal clothes on but at least he wasn't wearing shoes.

"In my bed?"

Harry ceased his actions and looked around the room. It took Severus to realize that the boy had simply climbed into bed on instinct. Looking at the clock he understood. It was almost three in the morning and no doubt he had been up since the crack of dawn the previous day.

"It's okay. I'll sleep somewhere else. You just rest," he sighed as he transfigured Harry's clothes into pajamas.

Severus stiffened. Share a bed with Harry? Would that be considered inappropriate? Harry was a fourteen year old boy after all and they weren't related.

"Are you sure? Won't you be uncomfortable with that," he asked cautiously.

"Why would I be? I've never felt uncomfortable when I'm with you. Or are you talking about the bed. I think it's big enough. Or will you be too hot?"

"No that's not what I meant. Never mind, it'll be fine," Severus said more to himself than Harry. It shouldn't be a problem, he thought to himself. It's not like they were doing anything perverted. The boy was simply too tired to walk back to his own room. There was absolutely nothing wrong with sleeping together, just sleeping. Right? He approached the bed and sat down. Harry scooted over to give him more room. Severus pulled the sheets over both of them and maneuvered himself so he would be comfortable. Harry snuggled up next to him and let out a happy sigh. Severus had to admit that having someone lying next to him like this was nice. It felt warm and almost sweet.

"Goodnight Harry," he whispered.

"Night Severus."

"Nox."

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: Just to clear up any worries, Severus is not a pedophile in this story and will not be laying his hands on Harry while he's still so young. Just thought I'd let you know. Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter and I will see you next time. Heehee**


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: Wow, I find I have nothing to say other than I'm glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you enjoy this one just as much.**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Warm. That was the first thing that came to Harry's mind when he started to wake up. He was warm. It wasn't hot or uncomfortable, far from it in fact. This warmth made him want to continue sleeping forever, basking in its comfort. Harry snuggled closer to the source of the warmth. He breathed in its scent. It was a mixture of flowers and dirt. It reminded him of a garden. Harry couldn't help but let out a happy sigh. He didn't dare open his eyes and risk losing this feeling. This sense of ultimate peace and security. No dark wizards would hurt him here. No one would use him as a tool for their plans here. Nothing bad could ever happen here.

"Stormy?"

Harry wanted to cry as the little voice beckoned him back to reality.

"Stormy?"

If Euryale was here then he must be back home in his bed, but then why was he so warm and peaceful?

"Stormy," Euryale repeated sounding a little annoyed.

Sure he had always felt safe in his bed but it had never been this warm. Was someone with him? Was that their body heat enveloping him? Was that their scent he smelled? Who had he fallen asleep with?

"Stormy don't you dare ignore me I know you're awake," Euryale yelled close to his head.

Harry let out a groan. There was no helping it. He regrettably pulled away from the other body and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. As he opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that he wasn't in his room. He sat up to have a better look at his surroundings. This place was somewhat familiar but his sleep addled brain couldn't place it.

"Finally, you two have slept most of the day. Papa came in to wake you but he said you looked to cute to disturb so he fed me a rat and left," Euryale reported. Harry looked down at her and stroked her scales.

"I really missed you while I was gone," he said trying to sooth the irritated snake. It seemed to backfire because she gave a snake equivalent of a huff.

"I figured you would. Next time tell Henpeck that if she wants you to come over she's going to have to deal with me too!"

Harry laughed at Mrs. Weasley's nickanme but stopped when he heard another groan. He looked over to see Severus rubbing his face as he woke. Why did he fall asleep in Severus' room? Why didn't Severus just make him go back to his own room?

"Good morning," Severus mumbled as he looked up at Harry.

"Morning. Uh, can I ask you a question?"

Severus nodded his head and sat up.

"Why did I sleep here?"

Severus looked surprised by the question but then seemed to understand something. He chuckled a little before answering. Harry loved that sound.

"I guess you wouldn't remember since you were so out of it. You were so tired last night when you came to get Euryale that you mistook my bed for yours and climbed in. When I corrected you I realized there was no way you were going to make it all the way back to your room so I let you sleep here. I'm sorry if you feel uncomfortable."

"Oh no. I'm fine. Actually it was kind of nice waking up like this. You make a really warm pillow," Harry teased. Severus smirked before looking over at the clock.

"Oh my, we slept passed noon. I'm surprised Lucius isn't searching for you," Severus said as he got out of the bed.

"Euryale said he came in earlier and said something about me being too cute to wake up. Or was it you who was too cute?"

"I am NOT cute boy," Severus snapped with a faint blush. Harry laughed and held up his hands in defense.

"I'm sorry Mister Scary Potions Master. Please don't chop me up for ingredients."

"Don't give me ideas," Severus muttered darkly.

"So, how about we get some food? I'm starving," Harry asked. Severus nodded.

"I'm sure lunch is being served as we speak. Get dressed and we'll meet the rest downstairs."

Harry nodded and jumped out of bed. He grabbed Euryale before running to his bedroom.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

"Thank you so much for this Albus. I'll make sure a room is prepared for you," Minerva promised before she ended the fire call. Dumbledore sat back down in his chair. Finally, after such a long time of lying low, he can return to the limelight. It had been such a long time since he had seen the Golden Boy. He couldn't wait to have a chance to talk with him again. Hopefully he hadn't become too slytherin while he was gone.

It had been Minerva who contacted him, so his sudden appearance wouldn't seem suspicious. It was the woman's first time hosting an event like the Triwizard Tournament after all. Of course she would ask her predecessor for guidance. No doubt something interesting was going to happen. That woman Minerva had hired to be the Defense teacher for the last year had just found out she was pregnant and had resigned from the position. Minerva had told Dumbledore that she had contacted Alastor Moody to fill in for the year. No doubt that wouldn't last long. As much as the man was an exceptional auror, Dumbledore knew he wouldn't have the patience for teaching.

Fawkes let out a chirp bringing Dumbledore back from his internal ramblings. He stood up and walked over to the bird and stroked its feathers.

"I suppose I better pack. What do you say old friend?"

Fawkes chirped his reply. Dumbledore smiled and turned to go to his room. Finally, he was going back home.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Severus was seething. He had expected Dumbledore to show up because of the tournament but he hadn't expected that Minerva would invite him to stay the entire year! What was that woman thinking? Had she completely forgotten about how he had tried to control Harry's life? Had she forgotten all the terrible things he had put that boy through and all for 'the greater good'?! Severus took a calming breath. There was no sense in getting so worked up over it. He glanced over at Barty Crouch who was explaining to the students the ministries rules for the tournament. Severus barely paid attention to any of it. He was just glad that Draco and Harry were too young to be a part of it. This was a dangerous tournament that should have stayed banned. People had died participating in it in the past and Severus didn't think the new restrictions would make much of a difference.

Severus looked around the head table. There were a lot more people there this year. He briefly contemplated taking all his meals in his chambers from now on. Severus' eyes locked with Dumbledore's twinkling ones. The old man even dared to give him an innocent, heartwarming smile. Idiot old man. Severus vowed to keep a close eye on him, especially around Harry.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry listened to his friends chat about the tournament. Ron was going on and on about how he wished he was old enough to put his name in the cup. Harry couldn't help but laugh at the idea. Ron was the type to talk like a true Gryffindor until the time actually came to do something. Ron wasn't a coward, he would still do the things he said he would, but he wouldn't be happy about it, and he tended to let everyone know when he wasn't happy.

"What about you Harry," Blaise asked. "Would you put your name in the cup. I bet you'd be chosen for sure."

Harry shook his head.

"I think I have enough excitement in my life without me actually looking for it."

"That's true," Neville agreed.

"At least it won't be as dangerous as it was in the past," Hermione cut in. "The reason the tournament was banned is because champions were dying."

"Sounds like a lovely school event," Draco drawled. Ron looked like he wanted to snap at him but refrained. He still couldn't stand the blonde but he had promised Harry to at least be civil. Harry was glad to see he was keeping his word.

"Whatever, I can't wait. Fred and George said they were going to set up a system so they could take bets. Sounds like things are going to be very interesting this year," Blaise grinned.

"Especially with the new students," Ron eyed the girls from Beauxbatons. Blaise laughed and Hermione rolled her eyes.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

It was finally here, the moment of truth. Severus already had an idea of who would be chosen but the suspense of the students was getting to him. It was all they talked about lately. He hoped the excitement of the tournament wouldn't cause their grades to suffer too badly. He didn't want to have to spend his free time tutoring students. Severus was hardly listening to the speech McGonagall was making. From what he heard Dumbledore had helped her with it so no doubt it was over the top and full of inspirational clichés. He looked over to see Lupin looking worried. The man had said that he had a bad feeling about the tournament but the other professors shrugged it off. Severus hoped that the werewolf's worries were misplaced.

"The first champion, from the Dumstrang Institute is… Victor Krum," Minerva announced. There was some cheering which quickly died down as the students waited to hear the next name. The goblet flared up and spit out an elegant looking piece of paper.

"The second champion, from Beauxbatons Academy, Fleur Delacour."

Another round of cheering followed by silence.

"The final champion, who will be representing Hogwarts, Cedric Diggory."

This announcement was followed by a much larger eruption of cheers as people congratulated the young man on being chosen. Severus didn't pay attention to them. Nor did he pay attention to the headmistress as she tried to say some last words of encouragement. His eyes stayed glued to the Goblet of Fire which was acting strangely. It almost looked as if it was fighting with itself. The flames grew brighter, catching everyone's attention. This went on for a few long moments until finally, the goblet spit out a fourth name. Severus felt his stomach turn with a feeling of foreboding. There shouldn't be a fourth name. The rules stated one champion per school. Minerva caught the paper and looked at it. Her eyes widened in shock. Dumbledore walked over to her side and read the paper.

"Harry Potter."

Severus' world seemed to collapse around him. This couldn't be happening. This wasn't happening. Harry would never have put his name into the goblet. Hell, even if he did the goblet wouldn't have accepted it.

"Harry Potter," Minerva called louder when he didn't come forward.

"HARRY POTTER," the woman yelled. This got the desired response and Harry walked out from the crowd of students. Severus looked at his face. It was full of fear and confusion. He had definitely not put his name in the goblet. Minerva handed him the paper with his name on it and Harry's eyes widened as he read his own name. Students burst out into angry shouts. They were saying how it wasn't fair and how he must have done something. Severus sneered at them. Stupid children.

Harry walked out of the room to where the other champions waited and Minerva quickly went to work on getting the other students under control and sending them all off to their dormitories. Severus followed the headmistress and the others to her office where the champions were waiting. Harry looked terrified as Minerva rushed over to him and grabbed him by the arms.

"Did you put you name in the goblet? Or ask an older student to do it for you," she demanded.

"No," came the quick reply.

"Are you absolutely sure," she asked again.

"Of course," Harry defended. "I didn't even want to be a part of the tournament."

The other headmasters looked less than convinced. The other champions looked shocked by what was going on.

"If it's possible, we should just ignore this incident," Severus suggested. "It's clear that someone rigged the goblet to choose Potter. We can't let this atrocity continue."

"Finally," Madam Maxime cried. "Someone who speaks reason."

Minerva looked at Crouch who was leaning against a table with a look on his face that reminded Severus of a cornered mouse.

"What do you say about all of this," she asked.

"When the goblet chooses a champion, a magical contract is formed," he said gravely. "As of now, Harry Potter is a Triwizard Champion."

Severus noticed Harry pale considerably. Everyone else had either a concerned, shocked, or angry look on their face. This was insane. They had no right to force Harry to participate in the tournament. Surely there had to be some kind of clause for situations like this. They must have realized that some students would put others names in the goblet as a joke. Severus made a mental note to ask for a copy of this so called contract. He'll send it to Lucius and see if he can find a loophole.

Severus glanced over at Harry. He was staring at him with pleading eyes. Severus felt his heart clench at seeing the 'lost child' look. He couldn't let this go on. This was too dangerous. This whole thing reeked of a setup, but for what? And by who? It didn't really matter to him. He just had to protect Harry. Severus placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry tried to give him a brave smile but Severus could see the worry in his eyes. He was going to have to have a talk with him. No doubt by then Lucius and Sirius will be there. Severus did not look forward to that firecall.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

"Ron," Draco called catching up to the red head. Ron turned to him and sneered.

"What do you want Malfoy?"

"I want to have a talk with you. Do you mind," Draco asked signaling for Ron to follow him to somewhere more private. A busy hallway was not the place for this conversation. Thankfully, the other boy followed without any hassle.

"I'll be quick since I'm sure you would rather not get caught out after curfew. I happened to notice that look on your face when Harry's name came out of that goblet," Draco said getting to the point.

"And what look is that," Ron growled. Draco wanted to roll his eyes at him. It seemed that the Gryffindor was incapable of any civil conversation with him when Harry wasn't around to monitor him.

"I'm talking about the one that made you look like you were about to murder a bunch of puppies."

"Is it that surprising I'm angry," Ron raged. "How would you feel if your best friend went behind your back and put their name into the goblet? I bet you knew. I bet you helped him do it!"

"You really think Harry did that," Draco asked incredulously.

"I know he did," Ron snapped. His face was almost as red as his hair. "He always has to be the center of attention. He takes every chance he gets to make himself look good or like some kind of hero. I'm sick of it."

"Ron, I know you know Harry better than that," Draco sighed. Why did this guy have to be so emotional? He was like a woman during her special time of the month. "Harry's always been uncomfortable with the attention he receives. The reason he loves hanging out with you and Hermione is because you guys treat him like he's just any other guy. You guys make him feel normal."

"Yeah, that's because I'm normal right? He must feel so much better about himself after standing next to me for a few minutes. The great hero next to the poor talentless redhead, let's see who people notice more," Ron sneered. Draco just blinked at him for a moment.

"Is that what this is about?"

"What?"

"You have an inferiority complex so you're taking it out on Harry?"

"I have a what complex?"

"You feel inferior compared to Harry because he's so famous so you're getting mad even though you know it's not his fault," Draco explained. This seemed to only anger Ron more but he should have expected that.

"How dare you! Where do you get off twisting my words like that!"

"I don't think I was twisting your words. I'm just trying to figure out why you're so hell-bent on hurting your best friend," Draco said calmly. This seemed to have the desired effect because Ron suddenly had an uneasy look.

"He's fine with out me. He has all his admirers," he argued but his voice sounded unsure.

"Really? Weren't you just telling me that you're his best friend? How can anybody be okay after being thrown away by someone so close to them?"

Ron didn't say anything so Draco decided to hit him with a finishing move.

"How can you leave your best mate behind when he's being forced to take part in a tournament that he wants nothing to do with? Especially when he could get seriously hurt or even killed?"

Draco could see the impact that last statement had on the redhead. Ron's eyes grew wide and his legs started to shake a little.

"You're bluffing. He won't die. The ministry created new regulations to make it safe," he stammered. Draco gave him a grave look and shook his head.

"No. They just made it safer than the past ones. It's still dangerous. Not to mention these tests are designed for students who've learned far more advanced magic than we have. Harry's at a major disadvantage."

"You… you may have a point," Ron admitted. Draco let out a breath of relief. Finally he was listening to reason.

"Please, just think about what I said before you go accusing Harry of something," Draco pleaded. The last thing Harry needed right now was the stress of another fight with Ron.

"Yeah. Sure."

"Good. Well, goodnight. I'll see you in class tomorrow," Draco said waving as he walked away. He was happy to see the thoughtful expression on the other boy's face. He was positive that Ron would truly think things over before starting any meaningless fight with Harry.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry dragged his feet as he made his way to the dungeons. He had been expecting this. He knew Severus would immediately contact papa and Sirius when his name had been called. Not that they wouldn't have found out anyways. The news had made the front page of the Daily Prophet by the next day. Harry knew they would come to the school and question him. Everyone else had. It seemed that most of the school believed that he was nothing but a limelight hogging liar. They all said that he just wanted more attention so he put a spell on the goblet so it would choose him. Only his closest friends stayed by his side. Ron had asked him straight out if he had put his name in the goblet the day after the selection. Harry had told him no and Ron stared silently for a moment then seemed to decide that he was telling the truth. Hermione and Ginny also supported him. Draco seemed to be constantly yelling at the other slytherins for not having faith in Harry and Neville just acted the same as he always did.

Harry looked over at Draco. He had been asked to join him. Harry guessed that this was to be some sort of family meeting. Draco looked over at him with a worried look. Neither of them knew what to expect. They finally stopped at Severus' portrait. Harry gave the password and entered. The three adults were sitting around a coffee table where there were tea and some snacks laid out. It looked like they expected to have a nice long talk.

"Harry," Sirius called. "And Draco, you guys are right on time. Severus made us all this weird green tea that's supposed to be super healthy."

"Euryale likes this tea," Severus explained. Harry nodded and sat down on the couch. Euryale slithered out from under his robs and coiled up on his lap waiting to be served. Draco sat down in a chair next to the couch. Severus poured the three of them a cup which they accepted without a word. Harry had gotten used to the tea since Severus often served it. Euryale immediately began sipping it.

"Wow, that snake is really drinking tea," Sirius mused looking at her with great interest.

"Of course I drink it Puppy. I'm not some uncivilized wild animal. I'm a lady," Euryale hissed. Harry translated for his godfather. Sirius frowned at his nickname.

"Does she have to call me that? It sounds like she's belittling me," he grumbled.

"But it fits to well," papa smiled. "You're energetic, curious, and a little clumsy. You are very much like a puppy."

"I'll show you a puppy."

"Children, can we focus," Severus drawled. Everyone grew quiet. Harry looked over at papa and Sirius. He knew what they were going to ask so he might as well say it.

"I didn't put my name in the goblet," he mumbled.

"I figured," papa said with a smile. "You're not the type of boy that goes looking for trouble. Trouble just seems to find you."

"I've noticed," Harry grumbled. Papa gave a little chuckle.

"I'm going to have a look at that magical contract and find a loophole so you can get out of it. There is no way they should be able to force someone into something like this," he assured. Harry glanced at Draco than back at papa. He had already decided what he was going to do.

"I've decided to go on with the tournament. It's true that I originally didn't want anything to do with it but I won't run away from it. I know that it's dangerous and I'm probably not ready for these kinds of tests but I won't back down. I don't want to run from my problems," he explained.

"Harry, no one is going to think less of you. You're just simply not ready for something like this."

"I understand but I'm still going to do it."

"No you're not," papa stated sounding a little irked.

"Yes I am and besides, I don't think there's anything you can do about it," Harry said honestly.

Papa stood up suddenly almost knocking over the coffee table. All of the tea cups spilled and Euryale gave an annoyed hiss.

"No! You're too young! I won't have it. I forbid it," he yelled. Harry was shocked. Papa had never yelled at him before. Harry was scared but he didn't want to back down. He wasn't sure why, but he felt angry as well.

"You have no right to forbid me from doing anything. I'm going to do this. I have to," he yelled back. Papa looked livid.

"You are my son. I won't have you throwing your life away because of stubbornness!"

"Lucius," Sirius said trying to calm the man down. Harry felt his face go red. How dare he call him stubborn!

"I'm not your son. I'm just an orphan that you feel sorry for. You just wanted another child and I was conveniently there," Harry raged. He regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth. He saw the pained look that spread on the other man's face.

"That's not true Harry," he said in a much calmer voice. "I won't deny that I felt bad for you when I first saw you. You were so small and weak from malnutrition. You were covered in dirt and had such a frightened look on your face. I wanted to help you, but as I got to know you, I saw how truly special you are. Not because you're the boy who lived, but because you were a child who always thought of others before yourself. You were so sweet and kind despite the horrible mistreatment you endured. Even after finding out about your fame you still remained humble and never let it go to your head. I began to love you and wanted to become someone you could rely on. I saw how much you wanted a home and a real family so I wanted to give that to you."

Harry lowered his head and a few tears escaped his eyes. The guilt was unbearable.

"I'm sorry."

The older man wrapped his arms around him. Harry immediately clung to him and buried his face into his chest.

"Harry, even if you don't see me as a father figure, even if you call me Lucius instead of papa, I want you to know that you always have a place in this family. No one could ever replace you."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I know that my real parents were James and Lily Potter and I know what they sacrificed for me but you'll always be papa to me," Harry cried. He felt papa's arms tighten slightly around him. "I know you're just trying to protect me I'm so sorry I said that."

"It's okay. I understand that you were angry. Don't cry," papa murmured gently as he stroked Harry's hair. "We're all here for you."

"That's right," Sirius added. "You're not alone. You have a loving family here to help you. Your parents would be so happy."

Harry looked up at him and smiled. He felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned to see Draco looking very shy.

"I know I've never said this Harry, but I think of you as more than a friend. You've become a little brother to me. I'll be here for you too," he said with an embarrassed flush. Harry smiled at him.

"And you know I'm always here as well, though as a teacher I'm forbidden from helping you directly with the tournament I can still help you with other things," Severus cut in.

Harry looked over at him and nodded his understanding. It felt like Severus had always been there to protect him his whole life. Harry's life with the Dursleys seemed like a bad dream now, distant and faded. He had a real family now. One that would always support and care for him. He would do the same. He would also protect his family. Papa released Harry from the embrace and Harry took the opportunity to wipe his eyes.

"I don't want to fight anymore, but I'm still going to have a look at that contract," papa stated seriously. Harry nodded.

"I figured but I'm still going to study and prepare for the first task," Harry said before blowing his nose on a handkerchief that Sirius handed to him. Papa simply nodded his okay.

"I suppose this means we'll be spending a lot more time in the library. Hermione will be happy," Draco groaned. Harry laughed.

"Yeah, I bet Ron's going to be pretty upset too about it," he smiled.

"Good, now that we've got the serious business out of the way, why don't we enjoy some lunch and a more lighthearted conversation," Severus suggested. He waved his wand over the coffee table and the spilt tea disappeared. Everyone happily agreed.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Lucius threw the papers on the floor. This was insane. How could he have failed? He was Lucius Malfoy for god's sake and he couldn't find one single flaw in the contract. There should have been some sort of clause about younger wizards needing parental permission but there wasn't. Nothing could be done to get Harry out of it. The other governors were going to hear about this. Fudge was going to hear about this. This whole thing wasn't fair! Harry was so young. The tournament was still too dangerous despite the new regulations. Lucius was going to have to sit back and watch while his own son risked his life for the amusement of others.

"Damn it," Lucius yelled as he grabbed a firewhiskey bottle that he kept on his desk and threw it against the wall. It shattered loudly and the liquor soaked the floor.

"Master?"

Lucius glared down at Dobby. The house elf looked scared and concerned. He rubbed his little hands together and looked up at Lucius expectantly. Lucius let out a sigh. No matter how pissed he was, he couldn't take it out on Dobby. He owed the little house elf too much.

"Please clean this up," he grumbled walking out of his office.

"Yes sir."

Lucius walked to the library. Perhaps a little reading would clear his mind. He would lose himself into another world, if only for a little while. He stopped dead when he saw that the library wasn't empty. Sirius was sitting in a chair next to a table reading a book. Huh, Lucius mused to himself. That's something I never thought I'd see. Sirius usually spent his time doing more physical activities like swimming laps in the indoor pool or running in the yard. He would also go out a lot to meet people. Sometimes he didn't come back until the next morning. That didn't bother Lucius so much as the fact as the man would never remember the name of the person he had been with. After a few arguments Sirius agreed to be discrete about his one night stands and not flaunt them or tell Lucius about them and Lucius decided not to ask about them.

Lucius knew he really didn't have any right to tell Sirius how to run his personal relationships but that didn't stop him from feeling somewhat sad when he knew about them. It just wasn't right. Such a personal thing like that done without emotion just seemed wrong. Maybe it was because it reminded him of when he had been forced to sleep with Narcissa before Draco was conceived. Every time they did it Lucius found himself just going through the motions and most of the time he would detach himself from his emotions. Afterwards he would always feel disgusted with himself that he could not be loving to his own wife.

"Oh Lucius, you wanted to read something," Sirius asked. Lucius felt his face frown.

"That is why someone would come to a library," he grumbled. Sirius flinched at the tone.

"I'm guessing you couldn't find a way out of the contract," he asked cautiously. Lucius let out a long sigh and flopped down into a nearby chair.

"No. He's going to have to compete," he said gravely. Sirius bowed his head.

"I figured. Listen, I know it seems horrible that Harry has to go through this but maybe it's not so bad. Harry may be young but he's a tough kid. Smart too. Maybe we should have more faith in him."

"I do have faith in him," Lucius snapped. He quickly calmed himself down before continuing. "It's just that I don't trust whoever put his name in that goblet. They may be trying to get him killed, or worse. The dark lord may be gone but I know some of his followers remain and probably want revenge. I just can't lose him."

"I know. I'm worried about him too, but we've already discussed that he's not alone right? He has Severus there, plus Draco and all of his other friends. Dumbledore also said that he asked Moody to help Harry as well," Sirius said setting down his book and putting a hand on his shoulder. Lucius was about to say something about how Dumbledore wasn't to be trusted when he recognized the book Sirius had been reading. He felt a blush form on his face. It was the same one he had found the clothes disappearing spell and other spells used for sex. Sirius followed his gaze and laughed.

"Well, you didn't think I was reading about history did you?"

"Well, no but how did you even find that?"

"To be honest I was looking for a book on snakes. I noticed that Euryale seems to avoid me but she's always so close to you and Severus so I figured I was doing something offensive without knowing it," Sirius admitted. Lucius couldn't help but smile.

"I think it's just because you don't talk to her as if she's a real person like me and Sev. She's a very smart snake and she acts like a human. Perhaps you should try greeting her as well when you see Harry," he suggested.

"Okay, I guess I could do that. Hey, why don't we go to my room? We can talk some more and drink," Sirius suggested with a happy smile. Lucius laughed. Sirius had a stock of different drinks in his room. He wasn't really an alcoholic since he didn't get drunk or anything like that. The man just seemed to enjoy a drink before bed. Lucius guessed that this offer was Sirius' attempt to cheer him up.

"That sounds like a nice change. Usually we go to a bar and talk to guys but it'll be a nice change to just sit back and talk to each other over a drink."

"You don't like bars," Sirius asked getting up from his seat. Lucius stood up as well and followed his friend out of the library.

"I just don't think it's where I'm going to meet the type of guy I'm looking for. I know it works for you but I think it's clear that our tastes differ quite a bit," Lucius explained trying not to sound insulting. Sirius gave him a weird look.

"Well I guess you have a point," he muttered.

"I'm sorry," Lucius apologized. Sirius shook his head.

"No need to apologize. You're right. I suppose it is a strange place to look for someone who wants a 'proper' relationship," he mused. Lucius gave him a warm smile. He was grateful that Sirius had done so much to help him learn to drop his mask in public. Lately, it had been easier for him to smile while talking to other people. Even if he hadn't found someone he wanted to date yet, it still felt nice to talk to people.

"Anyways how about that drink? That thing with the contract got me pretty tense," Lucius said light heartedly. Sirius stopped at his door and opened it.

"After you my angel," he said dramatically making way for him. Lucius laughed and walked in. That was the last clear memory he had that night.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: God I love cliffhangers! Heehee. Until next time.**


	21. Chapter 21

**AN: Sorry this took so long. Whenever I would set time aside to write something would come up and stop me. Anyways here it is and I hope you enjoy!**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Sirius felt cold when he woke up the next morning. It didn't take long for him to realize that he was lying naked with only a thin sheet covering his lower extremities. A dull headache informed him that he had gotten drunk the night before. Sirius slowly opened his eyes so they could adjust to the morning light better so he could observe the room. They shot completely open when he realized he was at home. This was his room. Sirius sprung into sitting position and looked around. No one was with him. He smelled the scent of the sheet and there was no mistaking it. It smelled like sex. Sirius began to panic. Why would he bring someone home with him? He always went to a hotel because he knew how angry Lucius would be if he brought a stranger into his home.

Sirius clutched his head as it began to throb. His memories were starting to come back. Sirius' eyes widened as he remembered. Lucius. He had brought Lucius to his room to have a drink hoping it would relieve some stress. They had talked for a while, seriously talked. Sirius hadn't been able to talk like that with anyone since James. But talking had somehow turned into a kiss. Sirius remembered pushing Lucius down onto the bed and climbing on top of him. Kissing was followed by snogging, which was followed by panting and sweating. Sirius' member hardened as he remembered the feeling of thrusting into Lucius' tight body. The sweet cries of his angel still rang in Sirius' ears.

Sirius covered his face with his hands. He had had sex with Lucius. Even after he had promised to not do anything like that. Lucius wanted romance, not sex. Lucius wanted to be swept off his feet and to feel loved. Sirius wanted to cry. Lucius deserved better than this. He deserved more than a drunken shag followed by an awkward morning after conversation that was no doubt on its way. Lucius was probably furious with him and Sirius didn't blame him. What he had done was unforgivable.

Sirius felt the spot next to him. Lucius had fallen asleep with him last night. He probably ran out of the room as soon as he woke up. Sirius let out a sad sigh as he stood up and walked into the bathroom. He would clean himself up and go find his, hopefully not former, friend. It would definitely not help the situation if Sirius came to him smelling like last night's escapade.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Lucius was sitting in a beautiful glass sunroom looking outside when Sirius found him. He was sitting on a wicker bench with white cushions and pillows on it. It was long enough for someone to lay down and have a nice nap while bathing in the warm sunlight. A house elf had brought him tea and set it on the outdoor style coffee table but it looked like Lucius hadn't even touched it. Sirius' heart ached at the sight of his troubled friend. He decided to do anything to fix what he'd done.

"Can I sit down," he asked quietly. Lucius didn't even look at him but gave a nod. Sirius nervously plopped down into the seat. He silently cursed himself. Why hadn't he taken the time to think of anything to say before coming out here? What the hell was he supposed to do now?

"You must be looking down on me right now," Lucius said breaking the silence. Sirius snapped his head towards the other man.

"Why would you think that," he asked shocked.

"I'm always lecturing you on how you should only have sex with those you love and how much more satisfying relationships are but then I go and sleep with a guy after only a few drinks," Lucius explained lowering his head. Sirius couldn't stand seeing such sadness and self-loathing in that face. That face was meant for laughing and warm, loving smiles.

"Lucius," Sirius said grabbing the dejected man by the jaw and lifting his head to he was looking at him. "I would never think poorly of you. You have done so many wonderful things for not only me and Harry but countless others as well. You are the most selfless and kind person I have ever met, and yes, I still think you a big hopeless romantic. Last night was my fault. I have more experience drinking than you and I should have noticed when we had too much. I also should have never put you in a position where it was so easy for something like that to happen."

Lucius looked back at Sirius. His eyes still had a hint of sadness but there was also relief in them. They also seemed to reveal a complete trust in him. Sirius looked into those ice blue eyes and saw that even after what had happened, what he had done, Lucius still believed in him. Sirius leaned closer to him, feeling an overpowering urge to capture those lips. Lucius sat up straight, breaking Sirius from his trance.

"Look, I don't want this to ruin our friendship. You don't have to feel guilty or apologize for anything since it was both of our faults," he said looking a little uncomfortable. Sirius felt shocked.

"You don't blame me? Didn't I push you down?"

Lucius shook his head and gave Sirius a comforting smile.

"Everything from last night is fuzzy, but I clearly remember telling you that you could do whatever you wanted with me, so you definitely didn't force me into it," he recalled. Sirius gulped. Why did hearing those words turn him on? He was definitely not still drunk.

"Well, let's just forget about it and focus on Harry's tournament. I'm going to write a letter to the headmistress about us getting a guestroom at Hogwarts for the year. If she can allow Dumbledore to stay there she can certainly make room for one of the Governors and his closest friend," Lucius said standing up to make his way out of the room.

"What about Severus," Sirius couldn't stop himself from asking.

"He's my brother in all but blood so I don't really count him as a friend since he's family. You're family too, but it's more like you're an in-law so you can be considered a friend," Lucius explained thoughtfully. Sirius couldn't help but laugh at the blonde's logic. Lucius chuckled before turning away to leave. Sirius couldn't stop his eyes from drifting down the man's slender body to his perfect ass that had clenched onto his manhood so tightly just last night. Sirius felt a lustful shudder spread throughout his body.

"Wait what the hell am I thinking," he asked himself after Lucius was out of earshot. He stood up and paced the room. Why was he having such thoughts about his friend? He had never once thought such things about James and definitely not Peter. He remembered the brief month with Remus which had ended in disaster and had almost ruined their friendship forever. Sirius shook those memories out of his head. He couldn't let that happen again. He needed to forget about last night. That's what Lucius wanted and he would respect that. Sirius felt a stab of pain in his chest. He stopped his pacing and brought his hand to the spot. Why did that thought make him feel….sad? He needed to talk to someone.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry felt like he was going to puke. Dragons. He had to defeat a dragon with nothing but a wand. How in the bloody hell was he supposed to do that? He at least had the advantage of knowing ahead of time at least thanks to Ron whose brother Charlie was in charge of taking care of them. He sat in the library while both Draco and Hermione searched for as many books as they could find on the creatures. Draco said it would be best to know the weak points of all the dragons that had been brought for the competition.

"I don't want to kill a dragon," Harry said sadly when he noticed that Draco had started researching weapons that were effective against dragons.

"You might not have a choice mate," Ron pointed out. Hermione nodded in agreement.

"From what Ron's brother said it sounds like you're supposed to steal some kind of object from it. I don't think a dragon's going to let you near much less walk away with its possession," Draco reasoned. "You can't out run it so you might as well fight it."

Harry sighed and leaned back in his chair. They had a point but he still didn't want to kill a living thing to win some tournament. He was surprised there wasn't some kind of magical animal rights group to prevent this kind of thing.

"To bad I'm not allowed a broom. I could probably out fly the dragon," he mumbled. Draco looked up at Harry and smiled.

"No, but you're allowed a wand," he said happily.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

"Thank you for joining me for this stroll Harry," Dumbledore said with a kind smile.

"No problem sir," Harry said politely. His stomach was filled with butterflies. He had been trying to ignore the old man for a while now but he had unfortunately been caught alone and couldn't come up with an excuse to get away since there were no classes held on the weekends.

"I wanted to know how you are faring. It's been awhile since we've last spoken."

"You mean, since they found evidence that you messed with my sorting," Harry couldn't help but reply.

"Yes, I was hoping you could forgive me for that, you see my boy, as much as we want to treat you like every other student here, you are different. I knew that you would have many trials ahead of you and I believed that being in Gryffindor would benefit you," the former headmaster explained with a sad look in his eye.

"How so," Harry asked.

"I believed that in Gryffindor, you would find you true friends who could help you and support you. Slytherin is a fine house as well but it unfortunately seems to hold many students whose…political views would make you uncomfortable. I did not want those views to influence you and I admit I may have over stepped my bounds," Dumbledore explained in an all-knowing tone. Harry thought about it. It's true that Slytherin was full of kids from pure blood families who looked down on those coming from the muggle world and he supposed he understood the fear that he would have been influenced by this. But it would never have happened. Harry only really hung out with Draco and Blaise who respected muggle-borns but then again there was no way for Dumbledore to know that.

"But sir, why am I so important? I understand that I'm famous because of what happened between me and Voldemort but why does that matter now. He's gone isn't he," Harry asked.

"Oh, I'm afraid there are ways for him to return," Dumbledore said cryptically. Harry narrowed his eyes.

"I don't understand sir. How can someone come back from the dead? Or is he really dead?"

Dumbledore raised his hand to silence him.

"Those questions will be answered in a less stressful time. The first challenge is tomorrow correct? I assume you have a plan for the dragons," Dumbledore asked then smirked at Harry's surprised face.

"I knew you would find out from Mr. Weasley. His brother is the one tending to them is he not?"

"Yes sir."

"Don't fret. It won't affect the competition if the competitors find out about the challenge beforehand but please refrain from telling Mr. Crouch about it."

Harry nodded. Severus had already told him that. He had apologized for not being able to help Harry come up with a plan against the dragon but Harry had understood. Severus was a teacher after all and he didn't want to get him in trouble.

"Lemon drop," Dumbledore offered. Harry shook his head and the old man unwrapped the candy and placed it in his own mouth.

"Stormy, don't trust this man. He's a politician and not one like papa. He's after power and seems to have plans for you," Euryale warned. She kept her head hidden under Harry's robes so she couldn't be seen. Harry nodded that he understood her.

"Mr. Dumbledore, was there something particular you wanted to speak to me about," Harry asked. He wanted to get away from this man as soon as possible.

"Believe it or not Harry, I really did just want to discuss the tournament with you, you are far too young to be put in such danger and I wanted to make sure you were not too stressed about it," Dumbledore sighed. Harry shrugged. It seemed like a reasonable explanation. "I also wanted to ask your forgiveness."

Harry stopped walking and turned to look at the old man. He had a sad look in his eye but Harry could see a faint twinkle staring back at him.

"Sir?"

"I have caused you great pain. Not only did I overstep my bounds by having you sorted into Gryffindor but I also sent you to your relatives without properly looking at your parent's will. I had foolishly assumed it was best that you be raised by the only family you had left. I had been careless and it caused you years of pain. I am taking this time now to apologize for my misdeeds."

Harry stared up at the older man. Part of him wanted to forgive him but another part wanted to scream at him. He looked over the older man's face and remembered something.

"But didn't you have someone spying on me as well," he blurted out before he could stop himself. Dumbledore looked surprised.

"Spy? Where on earth did you hear that I had someone spying on you," he asked. Harry didn't want to mention Severus or papa so he had to think quickly.

"It was something that came up when they were investigating you. It was mentioned but nothing specific came up," he said. It wasn't technically a lie. Dumbledore gave Harry a curious look.

"I'll admit I had a few conversations with someone about how you were adjusting to the wizarding world but I would hardly call that spying. I liked to keep an eye on students that were new to the world of magic since they often are more stressed in their first few years of Hogwarts. It was nothing evasive if that's what you're worried about, just some general inquiries."

"I guess that makes sense," Harry mumbled. Dumbledore smiled.

"Does this mean I have your forgiveness?"

Harry was still unsure and shifted uncomfortably. He felt like the headmaster was scrutinizing him with his expectant gaze.

"Forgiving someone does not mean forgetting what they've done. You can accept his apology but you're not obligated to trust him," Euryale hissed offering her advice. Harry relaxed and smiled back at his former headmaster.

"I accept, and if that's all, I need to get back. Mr. Malfoy and Sirius will be here soon and I want to see them."

Harry made a point not to call Lucius papa in front of Dumbledore. Something told him it wasn't safe. Dumbledore smiled and nodded.

"Of course my boy. Enjoy your day," he said as Harry started walking away. Harry was moving as fast as he could without it looking like he was running.

"I notice that Beardo didn't mention who he had talked to about you. Perhaps you should ask around and find out what they had told him," Euryale suggested not even bothering to wait until they were out of earshot.

"Beardo?"

"You saw it didn't you. That thing looked weird and unnatural but that's not important right now. Beardo reminds me of a demon," she explained poking her head out from under his cloak to look around. "He's the type to make deals for peoples souls."

"Ah. Well I'll ask Ron and Hermione about it. Maybe someone talked to them about it being questioned about me," Harry decided. He stopped and looked down the corridor. "Well speak of the devil."

"Son of a bitch I thought we left him behind," Euryale hissed looking behind them for Dumbledore. Harry laughed and petted her head to calm her down.

"No I mean Hermione and Ron. They're talking to Draco," he said pointing to them.

"Hey Harry, I was just asking around for you. Where were you," Draco asked half running up to them. He reached his hand out and petted Euryale's scales.

"I got caught by Dumbledore. He wanted to talk so we went for a short walk," Harry admitted. Draco narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, how is he doing? Haven't heard from him in a while," Ron said walking up with Hermione. Both Harry and Draco snapped their head towards him. Ron looked a little startled by their reaction.

"You talk to Dumbledore a lot," Draco asked trying to sound nonchalant. Ron narrowed his eyes at him.

"As a matter of fact yes. He was close to my parents during the wizarding war with You Know Who. He and mum still send letters," he answered. "What's the big deal? He's a great wizard. I understand people being upset with him over the incident in our first year but it's not like he meant for anything like that to happen."

"I think we're going to have to have a conversation later," Draco commented. "Harry, I wanted to tell you that dad and Sirius are here. They're in Snape's rooms."

"Okay. I'll see you guys later," Harry said waving goodbye to Ron and Hermione. He wanted to ask Ron more about his connection to Dumbledore but he hadn't seen papa or Sirius in a while so he made a mental note to talk to him about it later.

"Harry, I don't want to sound like I'm against Ron or anything but if he's really so close to Dumbledore I would watch what you tell him from now on," Draco whispered. Harry could see the concerned look on his face.

"I agree with Sparkles," Euryale piped up. "Foody is a good friend but he's naive. Perhaps you should tell him about what Beardo did so he knows better than to trust him."

"I will," Harry answered.

"Seriously Harry. You have to remember that the rest of us can't speak parceltongue. It's annoying to only hear half of a conversation," Draco grumbled. Euryale gave a small snake sigh and slithered over so she could reach him. She rubbed her head against Draco's in a gesture that looked like she was trying to comfort him.

"Poor Sparkles. I wish I could talk to you too."

Harry giggled and translated. Draco thanked Euryale and petted her again.

"I'm glad you feel the same way."

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Remus sighed as he finished marking the last paper from his third year Ravenclaw students. He glanced over at the pile that contained the Hufflepuffs papers. He let out another long sigh as he grabbed a scroll from the top of the pile and got started. He needed to finish grading these before the next full moon. He had just started to ink his quill when he heard a frantic knocking at his door.

"Who is it," he asked feeling irritated.

"Remus I need your help," Sirius cried as he flung the door open. Remus didn't even bother pointing out that he hadn't told the man he could come in. The insecure look on his friends face worried him.

"What happened," he asked putting away the scroll he was about to read. Sirius sat down in the seat on the other side of his desk.

"I had sex with someone," Sirius said looking like he was confessing to robbing a store. Remus blinked at him.

"Sirius you've been having sex since you were fourteen it's nothing new."

Sirius shook his head.

"No, I mean I had sex someone I shouldn't have."

"Who?"

"Lucius."

Remus leaned back in his chair. Sirius was looking down shamefully at his lap.

"Malfoy? I didn't think he would be into one night stands. I know he likes guys but I got the feeling that he was secretly a romantic."

Sirius' head snapped up.

"How did you know he was gay? I never told you that," he said incredulously. Remus debated telling him what he had saw back in his first year of Hogwarts but decided against it. It really wasn't his place to say anything.

"It doesn't matter. Why is you and Malfoy having sex so bad? Did you… fire prematurely," Remus asked in a low voice.

"No," Sirius yelled looking mortified.

"Was he no good and you don't know how to tell him," Remus asked.

"Of course not! He was amazing. The best I've ever had and that's the problem," Sirius cried standing up from his chair. "I know I shouldn't think of him that way since he's my friend but I can't help it. This is the first time this has ever happened to me."

"What do you mean?"

"I've never looked at a friend in that way since…you," Sirius explained sadly.

"How did this happen then," Remus asked wanting to get a clear picture of the situation. Sirius sat back down and told him about how he and Malfoy had gotten drunk before having sex and what had happened the next morning. Remus couldn't help but feel a little bad for them.

"And now that it's over I feel sad and aroused every time I look at him," Sirius finished looking down into his lap. Remus raised an eyebrow at him.

"Sirius, have you ever considered that maybe you want more from Malfoy then a one night stand," he suggested.

"I did but Lucius would never settle for being a sex friend," Sirius whined. Remus refrained from rolling his eyes at his dimwitted friend.

"That's not what I mean. What about you try dating him?"

Sirius looked up at him with huge eyes as if he had started to change into his werewolf form right there in the middle of the day.

"But I haven't done that in so long. What if I hurt him? What if I do something to make him hate me? I don't think I could stand that," Sirius said looking like he was about to cry. Remus just looked at him and sighed. Figures he would be more worried about Lucius' feelings than his own.

"Then I suggest you take some time alone to think about what you're going to do with these feeling of yours. Are you going to forget about them and move on to having pointless sex with people whose names you don't even bother learning, or are you going to man up and ask Malfoy out on a date," Remus said in a stern voice. He had never approved of Sirius' attitude towards his partners but understood more than anyone else the reasoning behind it. Sirius hadn't been the same since he had broken up with him. Remus had felt guilty for a long time after it happened. They had been each other's first and Remus knew how Sirius had felt about him but the werewolf wouldn't allow it. Being dominated by another male went against the wolfs' instincts to find a proper mate to have cubs with. Sirius had taken it really hard and Remus hoped his advice would help him. Sirius looked down and mumbled an okay and that he would think about it. Remus smiled at his old friend and watched him stumble back out of his office door. He silently prayed that he would find happiness.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: In the next chapter, my version of the first challenge! Will I come with something different or will I just copy what JK Rowling did? Most likely something different. And let's not forget the Yule Ball! Romance and action ahead in the upcoming chapter! Heehee**


	22. Chapter 22

**AN: Yes I know this one's late too. Sorry. I was on vacation and couldn't find time to write. Now I'm back and writing. So here it is. Enjoy!**

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

Harry paced the tent. He could hear the roar of the crowd outside as they watched Cedric defeat his dragon. Euryale hissed calming words to Harry but he wasn't really paying any attention. He was too busy going over in his head the plan he, Hermione, and Draco came up with. All he had to do is accio his broom and use it to outfly the dragon to steal the object. It was a simple plan, but that probably meant that something was bound to go wrong with it.

Papa and Sirius had visited him earlier. Papa had nearly suffocated him with a hug. It was somewhat comforting to know that there was someone as nervous, if not more, than him. Sirius had given him some clumsy words of encouragement. Papa looked like he was going to strangle the man when he jokingly told Harry to 'break a leg but for the love of god don't break your neck.' The joke had only succeeded in making Harry slightly more nervous.

A particularly loud applause from the audience let Harry know that Cedric had defeated his dragon. Harry took a deep breath and listened to McGonagall announce his time and introduce Harry as the last competitor. He stood up and walked to the tent's exit. He looked over at Euryale who rubbed her head against his chin comfortingly. He had tried to leave her with Severus but she refused to leave him. As much as Harry was worried for his safety, he felt better knowing that he wasn't going to be facing the dragon alone.

Harry looked ahead and pushed forward into the stadium. The audience was quiet. Harry couldn't help but feel like he was being led to a slaughter.

"There," Euryale said calmly pointing with the end of her tail at a golden egg that had been placed on top of a mound of boulders. Harry instinctively went for it but was quickly stopped by a heavy tail slamming down on the ground in front of him. Harry jumped into a narrow opening in the rocks to shield himself from the Horntail.

"Accio firebolt," he called with a flick of his wand. The dragon was clawing at the rocks trying to get to him. Harry scrambled further into the small trench. All he had to do now was stay alive until his broom showed up then fly like hell out of there. Simple enough. The dragon let out a frustrated roar as he dug its nails further into the rock. Harry could hear the majority of the crowd laughing at him. He knew he probably looked pathetic hiding in a corner but he couldn't find it in him to care at the moment. Especially since he knew that most of them would be doing the same thing.

"Stormy, you need to remain calm. We'll get through this," Euryale said as she poked her head out again. Harry took a deep, calming breath and nodded to her. "Now from what I understand we have a slight advantage, that Horntail has been placed under several different confundus charms so he's pretty confused right now."

"How do you know," Harry asked as he squeezed into a new trench that led away from the dragon.

"Well for one, he seems to think he laid that egg over there, which I'm sure I don't have to tell you is impossible for a male dragon," she commented. The Horntail seemed to notice their movement and went after them. Harry had to leap out of the way of its massive claws. A movement caught his eye and Harry nearly wept in relief when he saw his broomstick soaring straight for him. Harry quickly sent a blasting spell like the one he had used to defeat the basilisk years before and ran out of his stone sanctuary. He jumped onto the broom and was in the air in mere seconds.

"Hang on Euryale, I'm gonna try to lose it near the forbidden forest," Harry yelled over the rushing wind. Euryale didn't say anything back but instead quietly wrapped herself a little more securely around his neck and chest. The dragon was in the air behind him. It sent a fireball which Harry easily dodged thanks to his experience dodging bludgers. Harry swerved between towers and looked behind him at the dragon that was still on his tail.

"Watch out," Euyale hissed frantically. Harry snapped his attention back forward to see he was about to run into the side of another tower. He pulled up and was only barely able to avoid colliding with the wall. The dragon snapped its jaws up at him and Harry barrel rolled out of the way.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Euryale mumbled.

"If you do aim for the Horntail it might slow him down," Harry yelled not really caring about his friends' plight at the moment. Harry flew over the bridge that was on the edge of the grounds when he heard the dragon roar. He turned to see it collide with the bridge and fall down to the river at the bottom of the cliff. Harry couldn't help but stop the broom. Euryale was breathing shakily and her muscles were beginning to relax around him. Harry was more than a little confused. He hadn't expected to lose the dragon before getting to the forbidden forest.

"What happened," he asked out loud. "Why didn't he fly over the bridge like I did?"

"The vision in his right eye was impaired," Euryale hissed. She seemed to notice the confusion in Harry's face and explained. "I told you I wasn't feeling well. Lucky for us it landed in a good spot."

Harry didn't know what to say.

"Are you feeling better now?"

"Just fly us back and get the egg. I want to sleep."

Harry didn't argue. The crowd erupted into cheers when he arrived back. He got a glimpse of Sirius and papa's faces. They looked like they were going to pass out from relief at seeing that he had made it back alright. Severus looked much the same. Harry landed gracefully in the center of the arena and picked up the golden egg. The cheering got even louder as he held it up for everyone to see.

After being led off of the field he was met with a crowd of slytherins and a few other people all wanting to congratulate him. Harry smiled and thanked them and waved at Hermione, Draco, and Ron who were trying to make their way through the crowd to him.

"Mr. Potter!"

Harry tried not to cringe at the sound of Rita Skeeters' voice. The reporter was already getting on his nerves with all the things she had been writing about him. He had told her straight out that he had not put his name into the goblet but she still wrote an article about him making it sound like he had confessed to the deed.

"What are you going to do now that you have finished the first task," the annoying woman asked.

"Actually, I've got an very airsick snake to take care of," Harry answered before excusing himself.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry walked along the hallway and looked around at his fellow students. This was insane. He had faced You Know Who, dragons, basilisks, and blood sucking reporters but this is what unnerved him the most. The Yule ball. He didn't want to go. If it was just regular dancing and hanging out with his friends then he would have been fine but it seemed like everyone seemed to be expecting him to find a date. The dance was getting close and Harry still had no idea what he was going to do. Ron and Neville were also facing the same problem but Harry knew Neville's problem was different from his. Neville had talked to him about it earlier. He definitely wanted to go with someone, he refused to say who, but he just didn't have the courage to ask them.

"They'll probably just laugh at me," he had explained sadly. Harry tried to comfort him.

"How can you say that if you haven't even tried? Besides, why would you even like a girl who would do something like that?"

"You're right. They wouldn't do that but, I just can't do it Harry."

"Why not?"

"You don't understand. They're so….. and I'm…. I'm just not good enough," Neville said dejectedly. Harry was about to tell his friend that he was wrong but Neville quickly excused himself and practically fled the library.

Even though Harry felt bad for him, he couldn't help but envy Neville. At least he knew what he wanted. Harry didn't have the first clue. He had noticed that he wasn't like the other boys in his year. They were all tripping over themselves to get the best looking girls to go with them to the ball but Harry couldn't have cared less.

"Harry, do you have a date yet," Draco asked. Harry rolled his eyes.

"No and I don't think I'm going to ever get one," he mumbled. Draco shrugged.

"I guess if you don't want one you don't have to but you realize you'll need a dance partner right?"

"Why?"

"It's tradition that the champions be the first to dance so you'll need someone for that. Didn't anyone tell you," Draco asked.

"No, well Snape did offer to give me extra help if I was nervous but I didn't know why," Harry recalled. He had to dance in front of everyone now?! He felt himself begin to sweat. He looked over at Hermione who was reading at the Gryffindor table while absently eating a piece of toast. He smiled as an idea came to him.

"Hermione can I ask a favor of you," he called as he jogged over to her.

"Of course Harry what do you need," Hermione asked putting the book and food down.

"I just found out that I need a partner for the first dance since I'm one of the champions and have to dance in front of everyone. Would you mind? I know you said you were going with someone but it'll only be for one dance then you can spend the rest of your time with what's-his-name," Harry explained in a rush. Hermione's face flushed a little and she looked uncomfortable.

"Well, Harry, I'm sorry but I can't."

"Why," Harry asked with a childish whine that he couldn't stop himself from using.

"Well I meant it to be a surprise but the person who asked me was…"

Hermione looked around to make sure no one was listening then leaned close to Harry.

"Victor Krum."

Harry was surprised and disappointed at the same time. This meant that Hermione would be dancing with the famous quidditch player for the first dance. Harry let out a suffering sigh.

"As nice as that is I'm afraid I can't be happy for you. Now I'm still without a partner and I have no idea who to ask. You're the only girl friend that I have and I'm not about to ask Draco or Ron to dance."

Hermione laughed and patted Harry's shoulder.

"What about Ginny," she asked.

"I haven't thought of her. Do you think she would mind," Harry asked perking up a little. Ginny was always nice but he didn't want to bother her if she was planning on spending time with a boy she liked or something like that. Hermione gave Harry a weird look but then shook her head.

"No she would definitely not mind, but I suggest telling her that you're asking her as a friend so you can avoid any awkward misunderstandings," she advised. Harry nodded. He wouldn't want Ron thinking he was hitting on his little sister or for her to feel uncomfortable.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Severus walked idly through the halls. For the first time in a long time, he was bored. There were no potions that needed brewing, he had finished grading all his students papers, Lucius and Sirius were visiting with Remus today, and to top it all off it was the weekend so there were no classes. Severus let out a sigh. He didn't even feel like reading.

"Professor," a familiar voice shouted. Severus whipped around. Despite the welcome intrusion of his boredom he maintained his stern composure.

"Potter, there's no need to yell and stop running before I'm forced to take away points," he drawled.

"I'm sorry Professor but I've been looking all over for you. Why didn't you tell me that the champions were supposed to dance in front of everyone at the ball," Harry gasped after his run. Severus frowned.

"I was told that the Headmistress had informed all the champions herself. I suppose you must have slipped from her mind."

"I see. Well do you think you can help me practice dancing," Harry asked lowering his voice. He looked uncomfortable. "I… I've never actually danced with someone before."

Severus nodded.

"Of course. Follow me to my chambers. I'd take you to my office but there isn't enough room at the moment. Harry nodded and followed him.

As soon as they entered Severus' private quarters he levitated all the furnisher to the edges of the room then transfigured a vase into a record player.

"So, do you have a partner for the dance yet," Severus asked. Harry nodded.

"I asked Ginny to come with me as a friend. She seemed kind of excited so I guess she was worried because no one had asked her," Harry explained thoughtfully.

"Weasley? As a friend? Do you not have a girl you like," Severus asked.

"No, I honestly wouldn't have even gone if it wasn't for this one dance. I don't understand why the other boys are going so crazy over them."

"Maybe you're just a late bloomer," Severus guessed. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. I didn't get into the dating scene until I was sixteen but then again I had other issues."

"What were they," Harry asked. Severus quietly studied the boys curious face for a moment before answering. There was no point in hiding it.

"Well I didn't like girls at all. I found out I was gay during my first year and I was too scared to tell anyone besides Lucius. I was worried that I would be treated even worse than I already was," Severus explained. Harry looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I suppose I can understand that. I remember hearing that you were bullied a lot."

Severus nodded.

"Now, even though it isn't a big issue for me, please refrain from announcing my… preferences to your friends or other classmates."

"Of course. You can trust me," Harry said brightly. Severus allowed a small smile to tug at his lips. He didn't know what it was, but something about Harry made him do that a lot.

"Now, since it's only one week to the ball I believe it's best to just teach you how to lead," Severus decided.

"Um."

Severus watched as Harry nervously run his hand through his hair. He did this a lot when he was trying to find the right words to say to someone.

"Will I be practicing with you? I don't really mind that but, you're a bit tall to be Ginny," Harry explained. Severus chuckled. Yes, he was indeed too tall to stand in for Ms. Weasley but they didn't have much time to find someone else. He would just have to glamour himself to look shorter. Severus pulled out his wand and mumbled the spell. Harry's eyes grew wide as he began to shrink. When he was done he put his wand back in his robes.

"Amazing," Harry gushed. "You look so young."

Severus frowned. Young? He looked into a nearby mirror. He gaped as his thirteen year old self stared back at him. He hadn't meant to do that. He knew he was bad at charms but he didn't think he would mess up a glamour that much. Severus let out an exasperated sigh. Hopefully he would go back to looking normal when he removed the glamour.

"Yes this is how I looked when I was Ms. Weasleys age. This should make practicing a lot easier than trying to lead an old man almost a foot taller than you."

"You're not old. At least you don't look it," Harry said still looking him over. Severus was getting a little uncomfortable with the attention.

"It's nice of you to say that but you don't need to flatter me. Now enough of that, let's start with how you hold your partner," Severus said dismissing the compliment. Harry looked like he wanted to say something but remained silent as Severus started to give directions.

**XxxxHeeheexxxX**

Harry only needed three two hour lessons to learn and get comfortable with the dance. Severus assured him that he performed it well enough to not embarrass himself in front of the whole school. Harry loved dancing with Severus and was a little sad at the end of the second lesson. It had been a lot more fun than he expected and Harry hoped dancing with Ginny would be the same.

Harry stood with Ron and Draco as they waited for their dates. Ron had asked a random girl out of desperation to not be the only Gryffindor without a date. He looked utterly miserable in his old ratty dress robes that had apparently belonged to his great aunt. Draco and Harry on the other hand looked very nice in the suits that papa had ordered for them. Draco had also asked a girl to go with him as a friend. Harry had never met her but according to Hermione she was a little odd. Harry turned to the stairway when he heard Ginny calling his name. Her dress was a very light pink and a white color. It also had a sash that was a darker shade of pink. It was plain but it seemed to suit her fine. She had her hair down but she had a hair clip with a pretty pink flower on it. Harry smiled at her as she walked toward him.

"You look nice," he said politely. Ginny lowered her head.

"Really? You like it?"

Harry nodded and Ginny thanked him before telling him how handsome he looked in his own dress robes. Harry smiled and thanked her back. It looked like this dance wouldn't be boring and awkward after all.

A lot of people were surprised when Hermione showed up with Krum. She looked very beautiful in her dress and she smiled the whole time. Harry was happy to see his friend having such a good time. Ron seemed less than pleased but Harry didn't have time to ask about it since the first dance was going to be starting soon. Harry and Ginny rushed to their places. Harry noticed papa and Sirius smiling at him from the corner of the room and he gave them a small music was a little different than what he had practiced with but it was still fine. Ginny linked her arm with his and gave him a gentle smile. Harry smiled back and began to walk out onto the dance floor. He was a lot less nervous than he thought he was going to be. Since he was so focused on not messing up he had forgotten about everyone who was watching. Ginny moved flawlessly as they danced. She had always been somewhat graceful. Harry couldn't help but wonder why no guy had asked her to the dance. Harry felt comfortable dancing with her but not as much as when he was dancing with Severus and for some reason it wasn't as fun either. It must have been because this situation was much more formal.

Soon everyone was dancing and Harry was able to guide Ginny over to the side of the great hall and off the dance floor. He sighed as all the tension from the last week washed off of him. Now he could relax and focus on the second task of the tournament.

"What's the matter Harry? You don't want to dance anymore," Ginny asked sounding disappointed. 'She must enjoy dancing,' Harry thought to himself.

"Sorry Ginny. Just let me have a quick drink of punch first," Harry said walking over to the small fountain in the corner of the great hall that was spouting the fruity drink.

"Isn't it a little early for punch," Ginny asked. Harry shrugged and took a cup from a nearby table. Was there a rule about when you could drink at a ball? Severus didn't mention it.

"You have to drink punch at the beginning of the dance before nargles spike it," a gentle voice advised. Harry looked up at the girl who was waiting patiently to get her own cup of punch. She had blonde curly hair that was pulled up into a cute bun and she wore blue dress that seemed to have small plastic bubbles adorning it. It was odd but slightly interesting. Harry politely moved out of the girls way so she could get to the punch fountain.

"What are nargles?"

"Hey Harry," Draco greeted as he walked up to them. "I see you met my friend Luna."

"Luna's your date," Ginny asked incredulously. "I would have asked someone more…. Slytherin."

"I wouldn't say that I'm his date," Luna explained before Draco could say anything. "I am merely accompanying him as a friend and dance partner much like yourself and Harry."

Ginny's body stiffened slightly and Luna gave her a carefree smile before taking a sip of her drink. Harry had to agree with Hermione that Luna was odd but he understood why Draco would find her interesting.

After finishing his drink Harry and Ginny returned to the dance floor where the music had gotten much faster and more fun to dance to. Ginny seemed slightly absent minded but something told Harry that he shouldn't mention it. Hermione and Krum also danced with them for a bit. Harry didn't see Neville anywhere and assumed that the boy had chickened out on asking his crush to the dance and decided not to come at all.

It felt like an hour before Harry had to sit down and rest. His feet were killing him. He groaned and looked over at Ron who hadn't really danced and whose partner had long since left him. He looked like he was in a particularly foul mood so Harry decided not to talk to him. It was best to avoid any and all conversation with the red head when he was like this. Maybe Hermione could talk to him.

Harry sighed and leaned back. He looked around the great hall at all the people who were enjoying themselves and noticed that papa and Sirius weren't there. Harry hadn't really seen them since the ball started. Papa had been excited about seeing Harry dance but had promised not to make a scene by taking pictures. After all, it would look bad for the great Lord Malfoy to act like a mother gushing over her son on his first date. Harry stood up and exited the hall. Ginny was currently talking with her Gryffindor friends so she wouldn't miss him. Harry almost immediately ran into Draco on his way out.

"Hey where are you going," he asked.

"I haven't seen Sirius or Lucius since the beginning of the dance and I thought I should say hi," Harry explained.

"I think I just saw them heading outside. They probably went to get fresh air."

"Thanks."

"I guess I'll come with you but only for a little bit," Draco sighed as he followed Harry out.

The courtyard wasn't lit but Harry could see two figures standing by a column in the moon light. Harry and Draco quietly approached the parental figures who were speaking in hushed voices. Draco stopped Harry before he got too close to them and pulled him into the shadows. Harry gave his brother a confused look and Draco answered with a signal for Harry to listen. Harry felt guilty for spying but he had to admit that he was curious about what the two men were talking about. Harry strained and began to make out what was being said.

"I'm sorry I know I'm not making any sense," Sirius apologized running his hand through his hair.

"That's alright. Just speak slowly and tell me what you want," papa said gently. Sirius shifted on his feet.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, about that one night," Sirius started.

"I thought we agreed we would forget it," papa replied sternly. Harry wasn't sure what they were talking about but it sounded serious.

"I don't want to forget about it," Sirius said raising his voice before immediately lowering it back down. "I can't forget. Not even if I wanted to. Lucius, I think I like you."

Sirius bowed his head and papa gave him a sad look. Harry heard Draco give a quiet gasp beside him.

"Sirius, I told you I don't want that kind of relationship. It would be too painful for me."

"I don't mean like that," Sirius interrupted. "I don't want you as a sex friend or some drunken one night stand. I mean, yeah the sex was good, the best I've ever had actually, but that's not the only reason why I like you."

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew papa was gay but had no idea his godfather was as well. He grabbed Draco's hand and squeezed it in anticipation of what his god father would say next. Sirius grabbed papa's hand and pulled it to his lips before giving it a gentle kiss. The blonde's eyes were impossibly wide.

"You are the most self-sacrificing person I have ever met. You would do anything to protect your family, even those of us who aren't related by blood. Even when you hide yourself under that cold mask you still find ways to help those around you. You never back down from a challenge and if a problem arises that is impossible to fix, you will still run yourself raged trying to find a solution."

Sirius let go of the blondes hand and cupped his face.

"I even think it's adorable how grumpy you are in the mornings before your meetings," he grinned. Papa was staring in shock at the other man. Harry was getting a little impatient for him to say something. When he did, it was only the animagus' name before he was cut off by his godfather's lips being pressed against his own. Harry watched in amazement as the two men shared a long kiss before separating. The kiss had been sweet and almost loving. It was amazing how natural it looked. It was a good minute before Sirius finally broke the silence.

"So what I guess I'm asking is…would you like to give me a chance to make this work? To have a real relationship with you?"

"How could I possibly say no after that," Papa answered.

"Yes!"

Both men stiffened and spun around to face the two boys. Harry turned to Draco who had his hand over his mouth but it was too late. They had been caught.

"Crap," Draco cursed before grabbing Harry by the arm and forcing him to run with him back into the castle before they could be scolded for spying. Harry looked back for one last look. Papa's face was as red as Ron's hair and Sirius had the biggest grin Harry had ever seen on his face.

**XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**

**AN: No snakes or dragons were harmed in the making of this chapter. **


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